Black Friday

[mapsedge]

But not for us...not really.  See, we don't venture out of the house today except for groceries and life saving medicines for the orphans up on the mountain.

Today is the day we decorate the house for Christmas.  This is the day that the Christmas CDs are allowed out of their cases and into the CD players. We listen to carols and put out the kitchen towels and potholders; hang the dining room curtains; put out the seasonal toys; decorate the tree - that will happen last, probably just before supper.

Right now, decorating is still in the early stages: kitchen and bath accoutrements, and just now we're listening to a CD of carols played on harp and Uilleann pipes.

There will be at least fifty round trips on the basement stairs carrying stuff into and out of storage.

Katie and Jami will fight most of the day over who gets to put up what decoration.

Oh yes, my own special HSP/SPID hell has begun, and lasts more or less until 12th Night.  :)

No outdoor lights this year; can't afford the electricity to run them, but that's okay.  It means I won't be climbing around on my roof in the cold, and I'm totally okay with that.  If you must have lights, go here.

I'm ripping all of our Christmas CDs to a single location so they can more easily be dropped into a playlist for random Winamp action.

I hear frustrated screaming upstairs.  Sounds like Katie.  I'm off to go and separate my children before she Decks The Walls with her brother.

Comments

not quite scrooge!

[jogreen.livejournal.com]

I'd say any man willing to help put up Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving, can't have that much "scrooge" in his veins! Your day sounds like fun. I found myself missing Sam (my 8year old) and wishing he had at least been awake before I left this morning. As it was, I was too exhausted to be much company when I returned late tonight. I intend to make it up tomorrow.

Re: not quite scrooge!

[billthetailor.livejournal.com]

Ah, Scrooge. The old man and I differ in one important respect: he objected to Christmas in general, I only object to what Madison Avenue has made it*.

I'm a Bing Crosby-Doris day-Nat King Cole-Christmas kind of guy. Wham!, Paul McCartney, Whitney, and Mariah totally spoil it for me...but, if I remember right, you read that LJ entry :)

I was talking with a friend of mine from Ireland yesterday, and he said that every year the retailers there barely wait for Halloween to be over (no Thanksgiving, y'know.) This year, he said they started on October 1st on Grafton Street (Dublin). Too soon, by his estimation. I agree.

...although, we've seen Grafton Street decked out for Christmas, and it's beautiful: it's everything the Plaza would like to be. They pipe music from speakers atop the buildings, lights and garlands everywhere, and Christmas window displays in every shop. Ireland is an amazing place to be when it's ready for Christmas.

* I also object to the noise of it (I've linked the HSP/SPID websites in the text of this entry for an explanation of exactly why and how that works).

Re: not quite scrooge!

[jogreen.livejournal.com]

Have you been to Ireland? It sounds beautiful, at least when decked in holiday greenery! I agree, it's the commercialism of Christmas that is loathsome. When they started playing xmas music at Macy's even before Thanksgiving, I felt it was too much. And when you work retail, you hear it nonstop for your whole shift. Then it just feels like a manipulative toy to tease buyers into spending more. Like loosening a man's tongue with a little alcohol.

I haven't listened to the links you sent, but I will later. My older son Matt is visiting tonight from the other side of the state.

Have a great weekend! We might get some decorations out today, after all!