Keeping Christmas All the Year

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”

― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

It doesn’t feel that long, but it’s been almost eighteen years since I purchased my house. Over time, I’ve made improvements here and there, but the latest is one of my favorites because it’s something I’ve wanted for what feels like forever.

The first year I was in my home, I wanted to make it pretty for the holidays. Unfortunately, the builders decided that the front yard didn’t need an electrical outlet. This lack of front yard electricity threw a wrench in my decorating plans because, after all, what good are Christmas decorations without lights? Determined to overcome this obstacle, I opened a window just enough to run an extension cord through. I quickly learned that even the most minuscule cracking of a window is too much of a crack when it’s bitterly cold out. But I wanted—no, needed—those pretty lights, so it was worth the hassle and the higher heating bill. I may have repeated this bad idea the following year, but after that second year, I decided it wasn’t worth it after all and haven’t bothered with outdoor lights since.

As odd as this past year has been, 2021 brought some good things for me. One of them was the upgrade I spoke of earlier…the electrical outlet I’d wanted for so long (2020 brought the handsome electrician who installed it, but that’s a different story). With this outlet, the Christmas lighting possibilities became endless, but in this case, less was more…

I carefully considered how I would take advantage of this newfound electrical opportunity. I always liked the icicle lights, but I didn’t have any, and they’re kind of a pain to hang, anyhow. I thought about getting a little artificial outdoor tree and putting lights on it but decided to use things I already have rather than buy new stuff. Then I remembered the bush in my front flower bed—the one that looks dead. Each fall, all the tiny leaves fall off, and by the time winter creeps in, the poor girl is in pretty bad shape. With her brittle, stick-like branches, passersby likely wonder why I haven’t dug her up and laid her to rest in some dead-tree graveyard…yes, she looks that bad. (And, yes, I’ve assigned her a gender because, well…I wanted to.)

Anyway, I pulled out my tub of Christmas decorations, found a string of colored lights, and draped them around Ms. Deadbush. (Yes, I’ve now given her a name for the same reason as above.) When the sun finally went down that evening, I stood outside and admired her. One little strand of colored lights had transformed an eyesore into, in my opinion, a thing of beauty. I left the lights plugged in twenty-four/seven, and each time I pulled into my driveway or took my dog out, I’d take a moment to gaze upon Ms. Deadbush. With her dainty, colored lights, she made me smile.

Tradition says that Christmas decorations should stay up until after the New Year. Usually, if I even bother decorating, my OCD kicks in at the stroke of midnight on Christmas, and the decorations are gone and put away no later than December 26th. This year, though, I dreaded taking those colored lights down. I enjoy them too much. I wasn’t the only person who felt this way: a friend posted something about how she wanted to just leave hers up until next year. I read that and thought, why not leave them up? What if, instead of taking the lights down, I changed them up each month? White with snowflake ornaments for January. Pink with heart ornaments for February. Green with shamrocks for March, etc.

BY GEORGE, WHAT A JOLLY GOOD IDEA!

See, here’s the thing: the lights make me happy. Looking at them brings me joy, and they make Ms. Deadbush feel pretty. And unless there is snow on the ground, which isn’t often around here, winter—with its endless overcast, gray skies—is dreary and depressing. The lights add color to an otherwise drab backdrop and they brighten things up. They’re not hurting anything or anyone; in fact, I can’t think of one person who dislikes twinkly little lights. So why should something that brings joy be restricted to only one month of the year? Why not decorate with them all year long, or at least until spring brings new life and with it, colors and sunshine?

If Scrooge could honor Christmas in his heart and try to keep it all the year, why can’t I? Why can’t we all? If something brings you happiness and it’s not hurting anyone, don’t let tradition dictate timing. If you love sending Christmas cards out, send hello cards out to friends and family whenever you feel like it. If you love fruitcake, (does anyone actually even like fruitcake?) make it whenever you feel like it! Love giving gifts? Give little, inexpensive things (like baked goods) randomly just to let someone know you’re thinking about them…except fruitcake. Don’t give fruitcake as a gift. Just don’t.

Do whatever it takes to bring yourself joy and keep Christmas in your heart all the year. For me, it’s a a simple, 100-bulb light strand wrapped around a dead-looking, temporarily leafless bush.

Happy 2022, y’all.