‘Tis the Season

 

By Leigh Thomas

 

I love Thanksgiving. Sure, I love gathering around a big meal – the turkey, the dressing (Thanksgiving hasn’t happened until I’ve had my mama’s dressing) and the pie. But most of all I love that it brings the anticipation of Christmas.

For me, the Christmas season begins the day after Thanksgiving and culminates on Christmas Eve as my family attends church and my children get decked out in their Christmas jammies, set out cookies for Santa and then get tucked into bed, barely able to contain their excitement for what the morning will bring. Then we sit in the dark and enjoy the serenity of the Christmas tree with all of its wrapped presents once more, before morning comes and happy chaos is unleashed.

As a kid, the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day trudged by, long day by long day, a seemingly endless wait for that big moment on Christmas morning. And that’s what it feels like – a moment, the big finish, anticipation gone, until next year. As a parent, on Christmas morning I find myself surrounded by torn wrapping paper, discarded boxes and an immense amount of plastic packaging, wondering “What now?”

I do love the magic of Christmas morning, but even more so, I love the sights and sounds that lead up to it and experiencing the magic of the season through my children’s eyes. The best part is all the little things that say “Christmastime,” and for my family, they begin the day after Thanksgiving.

The rule in our house is no Christmas before Thanksgiving – no decorations, no carols, no movies. (Sounds harsh, but if you lived with children that carried the carols on into March, as mine do, you’d understand.) But once dinner’s done, I’m all Christmas Vacation, peppermint mochas, off-key caroling and twinkling lights until my heart’s content.

I can’t wait.

Our lives are so busy rushing from one place to the next that most days pass by in a blur. But come Black Friday (and Saturday and Sunday), we will do nothing more than watch football (Go Gamecocks!) and deck the halls, pulling out ornaments one by one, recalling the trip where we bought them or how old the kids were when they made them. Maybe even a little online shopping and the season’s first viewing of Christmas Vacation. But we will have no schedule, relaxing and enjoying the feeling of Christmas being upon us, much like I remember it from my own childhood. We’ll see if I can stick to the no-schedule part.

Thanksgiving traditions vary from pie and football, to kale salad and a run, to travel, to shopping at insane hours. This year more than ever I am making a point to remember all I have for which to be thankful. Then I will enjoy a run, football AND pie and the anticipation of what is to come.

 

 

Leigh Thomas is a Columbia-area wife, mom of two, runner and communications professional. Because that affords her so much spare time, she also pursues freelance writing and editing. Visit her blog at literalleigh.blogspot.com. 

 

 

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