The stockings are hung by the chimney with care and only one on a mismatching stocking holder – a Barbie holder rescued from the garage sale boxes since I couldn’t find a fourth matching holder to put my stocking up.
Yes, we put up the Christmas holiday decorations during the weekend, only 11 days before Thanksgiving. While some say it’s too early, I like to say it’s not. It could have been the first weekend of November. Plus, I have had my Michael Buble Christmas CD in the Vue all year and I watch holiday movies throughout the year as well. By the way, Babes in Toyland with Annette Funicello is on Disney-plus. You’re welcome.
JD, soon to be 4-years-old, was more excited to decorate the Christmas tree this year. His eyes lit up when he saw it go up and when the lights were turned on for the first time for this holiday season.
Eleven-month-old Oliver gazed at the tree wide-eyed, slowly reaching out to touch the branches, which this Mama Bear took as a measurement of how far up he is willing to reach for a shiny, interesting ornament with his close to 30-inch height.
I believe I already know how far he will go to quench his curiosity. He has pulled out the step stool, of course, after seeing big brother pull it out and stand on it. He pushes the kitchen chair around the house, the same chair his big brother uses to push against cabinets to get them open. Plus, Oliver can climb and right now seems to have no fear.
The boys have looked through the toy catalogs which arrived through the mail. It’s not the same as getting the heavy, thick Christmas catalogs from Sears and JCPenney when I was a child. Where you knew the right section to go to, bypassing the clothes, bed sheets, and kitchen items to get to the toys. JD has his favorites – Legos, Toy Story, Paw Patrol. Oliver just wants to eat the catalogs and play with what his brother gets.
Next is the Santa Claus visit. We like to visit him early before he gets too busy. According to Grammi, Santa doesn’t officially arrive until the end of America’s Thanksgiving Day in Detroit parade. It’s the official beginning of the season.
But, Thanksgiving is so late this year and the boys really won’t notice. JD just wants to see Santa. Grammi does have some good stories watching the downtown parade from St. John’s Episcopal Church when she was a kid and where my great-grandfather was a priest.