Bring on the Christmas

I love Christmas. Which doesn't seem to fully express the affection I have for Christmas time.

I have more Christmas decoration than any other type of decoration or item type in my house. Christmas is a multi-month season in my house. It technically starts before Halloween even hits, but usually we hold off decoration at least until our fall party is over which is near the end of October. Fall then by default starts in early August at our house with the brown and orange leaves decorating the fireplace mantle and tables.

Christmas is very important to me. Easter is centrally important too, in no way am I downplaying the importance of the Resurrection, because it's central to all that we do, but without Christmas, we would have no Resurrection. Christmas still holds a power to bring unity amongst people, even if it gets cloudy in the consumerism of our culture. The American movie industry still produces numerous films with the central point that family is important at Christmas and is kind of the point. Though we hold that Christmas has a higher point than even family.

Through the next few months I will be posting my Christmas preparation, from the fun stuff, to some serious stuff. I get a bit overboard on Christmas, but I do all things with a purpose and a reason and will share with you this journey that we call Advent.

So far this "fall season" I have enjoyed some great "fall" related items. I have pulled out and listened to Vivald's "Four Seasons", particularly the movement related to this season of course and also fall related beverages and soon fall related foods.

As I rev up for our Christmas season, which technically is till about two months away, I have pulled out some of my favorite Christmas music from Ruth Lyons to Linda Russell in preparation.

"There are some upon this earth of yours," returned the Spirit, "who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all out kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us." C. Dickens (A Christmas Carol)