Christmas Time Is Here

Written by Liz Medwid from Three Bright Stars.


I love Christmas! And yet, ever since I’ve been married, and more since we’ve started our own family, it fills me with a certain gnawing dread. This year, I have foresight: my pregnancy gives me that superpower. We’ll have a new baby in November, our second. As everyone else heads into the land of Santa, my poor husband and I will be heading into that bleak and sprawling land of no sleep. How can we also survive everyone’s festive expectations – including my own?

As with writing, the key will be editing – ruthlessly cutting away any superfluous Christmas detail, leaving a tangible and tolerable Christmas essence: all of the pleasure, and none of the pain. No Christmas tradition is safe if our sanity is to be preserved.

But, as with writing, cutting is hard, like killing that superfluous character who has become a close friend, and yet adds nothing to the plot. Should I cut gingerbread-decorating? Do we miss viewing the Christmas displays on Candy Cane Lane? Do I forget my promise to host family on the day? What about my desire – NEED – to bake lots and lots of festive goodies?

Part of the answer has occurred to me, although I have to fight the current season to put it into action. Start the season now! It’s so obvious. I’m going to be large with pregnancy complaints by October, so Christmas preparations must be completed before then. I’ve already gathered some festively themed crafting supplies to make combination Christmas-birth announcement cards. I’ve never made cards before, but I must say my first attempt is respectable!

Confections can be made well in advance and frozen. With a little creativity, even Christmas shopping can be completed by autumn.

It’s a little annoying to notice everyone else’s total lack of festive spirit, though. Martha Stewart’s website has a very limited Christmas page, and most of the stores don’t even carry a Christmas theme until, what, October? I guess I’ll have to make my own holiday spirit. I wonder how long before Husband flushes all my Christmas albums down the toilet?

Liz Medwid is the only one in her neighborhood wearing a toque in July. Learn more at Three Bright Stars.