Friday, November 12, 2010

It's Still November -- Give Thanks!

Witness the proof of Moogie's contribution to the "Thanksgiving Comes First" campaign worming its way through cyberspace.




It always irritated my children to no end that we were not among those whose Christmas tree went up the day after Thanksgiving.  I was not a particularly hard-ass mom overall, but I did adhere to one hard and fast rule:  no Christmas anything until after December 1.  No tree.  No music.  No decorations.  No Christmas movies.  Not until at least December 1, because Thanksgiving and Christmas both deserve their own month's celebration.

I still abide by that rule.

Some years my kids abide by the rule; others, they get too excited about having their own places to adorn and get ahead of the game.

But never does Christmas appear before Thanksgiving, even at The Son's house where there are 3 young 'uns.  Never before Thanksgiving.  So, I guess I didn't go totally wrong.

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday because it's about family and friends and being together, even if only in thought or memory (JB gave me that crafty turkey when our girls were still in pre-school, and it brings her to mind every time I lay eyes on it).  So, I'm totally aboard the "Thanksgiving Comes First" train with a one-way ticket!  Come on board!

Thanks to Buck and Suldog,  in Autumn colors, for establishing and promoting a burgeoning movement.

7 comments:

  1. Thank YOU! I only wish I had come across this earlier, to include it in my post full of links today. I'll make an addendum right now.

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  2. I LURVE the corn candles! Those are just way-cool. The turkey in the first pic is pretty nice, too.

    You had/have the same rules I grew up with, Moogie. But I think my parents had an easier time enforcing those rules. That ain't nostalgia -- it's truth.

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  3. AMEN!!!!! I go even a step further... no Christmas until 2 weeks before. Aren't I counter-cultural.
    A REAL tree won't last much longer. If we could go back to real trees, we wouldn't have all this day- after -Thanksgiving-decorating- tree stuff.
    Goodness gracious.... who wants to DUST their Christmas decorations???
    In Mobile... and maybe in NOLA, too. People would keep their fake trees up
    and change it into a Mardi Gras tree. That's 6 months of tree.

    Thanks for the recipe!

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  4. We've never been big Christmas people...and even less so as we get older. Of course, we've got no granchilluns, so that might have something to do with it.

    We haven't had a tree in over 15 years (long story), and I think we decorated the living room on Dec. 15th last year. Really the only reason we went to the trouble was because eldest son was coming home, and wanted to throw him a memory or two.

    Nobody else really cares.

    Bah!

    Now, Thanksgiving I can get behind.

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  5. You're welcome, Sully! Thanks for the link!

    I'm so glad you like my corn-candles, Buck! I am such a cheesy decoration person -- a sucker for cute. And I agree that our folks had it easier -- nowadays tv shows promoting the latest "hot" product start airing before Thanksgiving!

    My. my! You arecounter-cultural, Cuz! I'm with you about dusting the decorations, though. And we haven't had a real tree in years, since I had actual allergy testing and discovered that the majestic, good-smelling trees were probably the reason I had bronchitis and pneumonia most Decembers. Artificial trees just aren't the same, though. And, oh yeah. We had one of those collapsible spiral-light trees on the side faux porch and it definitely became a Mardi Gras tree (until it collapsed!). I still have the add-on Mardi Gras lights, so I'll have to come up with something fun this year. Those were gorgeous eggplants!

    Well, we shall defer to your Scroogeism during the season then, Andy. Grandkids help -- and having housegueswts or a party. We probably won't do the big tree this year since no one will come, but I'll have a little tree in the window upstairs and the cheesy Hallmark mini-ornament tree that remionds me of my kids' childhood (and my own Star Trek devotion). And the Mexican clay creche that I bought in San Diego in the 80s and . . . . I think the main reason I get the stuff out now is to re-live the memories. There are some good ones, and some sad, but they're all part of who we are. But, for now, I'm exploring new recipes for Thanksgiving and the Razorback tailgate before some piddling little game against some team in Baton Rouge on the Saturday after!

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  6. Thanksgiving is "about family and friends and being together".
    Yes. Thank you!

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  7. You're welcome, Ed! Spread the word!

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