I know I'm going to be going against everyone else on this one but when my husband and I were in Lowes last week buying new toilets I took our son to the garden center because they had the christmas stuff up.
For me, seeing the trees, decorations and hearing the music brings back all of my warm christmas feelings. I start to smell the fresh snow again, dream about being snowed in with no where to go, a fire burning and everyone snuggled up in their pj's watching movies all afternoon. Christmas for me was my arms wrapped around my daddy when he gets home from a day of work and still has the energy to rush me outside to ride in the fields on the snowmobile. Christmas was the men in the livingroom chatting, the women in the kitchen cooking and everyone being happy despite being crammed into the smallest house in our family because it was just tradition to go to Great Grandma's house on Christmas eve. Christmas is Matthes Tree Farm and hot chocolate and hayrides. Christmas is taking the kids sledding and making sure they grow up with the ability to "feel" Christmas, even if it is Nov. 1st. The feelings I get around Christmas can't come soon enough, or stay long enough. You can't buy that.
It's only about gifts if you make it about that, and while I do feel the pushing of stuff that stores do is a little crazy, I take responsibility for what I spend money on and the only thing I take away from them starting so soon is my Christmas feelings that I hope to pass to my own children. There is nothing better than Christmas!
Agreed! DH and I watched the movie on one of our first dates and named our Golden Retriever Arlo. Can't wait to hear what Stevie thinks of the song....
