When To Plunge

I am completely and utterly bi-polar about the Christmas Decorations Debate. Last weekend I was all ready to set up the tree and hang the stockings, (that's it, though. Tree. Stockings. Done.) but The Husband was being all whatevery about it. This is when my Awesome Powers of Communication kicked in and I barraged him until we got down to exactly why he didn't want to do it. Turns out to be equal parts 1) I don't really want to help you, but that would mean I'm a jerk, and the kids have no Christmas tree, and I don't really want to be "that guy," and 2) I really think it's too early. Early! Too early! I inquired as to when would be the optimal time? The week before Christmas. The week before. (yes, I am aware I am repeating every other sentence, indulge me, I love a good bold/italics combo)

Um, no. I am not hauling out that tree, stringing it with tiny lights (a task that takes me, the insane perfectionist, hours on end) and all sorts of holiday cheer just to have to take it all down in a week! No sir! But I let him get away with it. It wasn't even technically the month of December.

However, it IS NOW the month of December. And... ugh. I just don't wanna! It's a lot of work! I'll have to dig around in the garage! I don't really want to know what is going on in there. There could be a family of elephants living in there, and I wouldn't know! I avoid the garage! There's black widow spiders in there, man!

Plus not only would I have to DO the whole tree thing, I'd have to then ensconce it in a play yard gate. That is tricky. I did it once when we first moved into this house, the thrill of having "our first Christmas in our first home" nonsense. And let me tell you... WHOOO NELLIE!

So no- our halls are not decked. I use the holiday decoration aisle at Target to bribe the kids into behaving less like apes and more like the polite little girls I know are in there somewhere. And it seems wrong. Just not wrong enough for me to actually make the effort to Christmatize our house. Every year I whine and complain about it. (I also still blame my Mother. Kisses, Mom!)

Perhaps we should just go Jewish and put up a Menorah? That seems more like something I can handle. Or is there also garland I am not aware of?

So! You festive people- those of you whose blogs I follow- the people who are ecstatic every year and put up the decor early- those whose pictures I drool over because they look like they flew out of a Pottery Barn catalog- anyone want to come do it for me? There may or may not be hot chocolate involved!