'Twas the Week Before Christmas...

Ah, a Norman Rockwell Christmas...

And all through this house, every nook and cranny (what is a cranny?) seems to be stuffed with items awaiting wrapping or delivery.  The mail man is eagerly awaited each day in the hope that he will deliver the last of those "must have" gifts in time for the big day.  I have five of the ten new homemade felt stockings I'd planned to give the kids made, two and a half more are in process.  I still haven't made all of the Christmas cookies on my list, but I live in hope.  In short, despite all my best efforts and promises to my self, I have become entirely engulfed in the last minute preparations for Christmas.

It happens every year, doesn't it?  Regardless of how early you start or how committed you are to having a "simpler" holiday, that last week is a killer.  I'm not complaining though, really I'm not!  It's part of what makes Christmas exciting and a little breathtaking.  There's something quite fun about staying up later than anyone else, watching the entire series of Rumpole of the Bailey, and wrapping your heart out.

Having said that, I can see that in this last stretch, there are a few things that are going to have to give...  The first is certainly going to have to be blog updates.  Yes, this may be my last Dapper and Dreamy post until the day has passed.  Somehow, I think that many of you are just as busy as I am and will appreciate a little break from feeling that you "have" to read anything new.  In addition, in my book, Christmas doesn't end until I am good and ready for it to do so, and that is never at 11:59 PM on December 25.  In fact, one could say that some of the best things about Christmas start at that moment...  Most obligations have been honored.  You're ready for a break from shopping and keeping secrets, and you've run out of quarters to drop into Salvation Army collection kettles.  And yet, there are still tubs of cookies left to eat, all of your favorite Christmas music remains stacked by the stereo and your decorations are intact.  You also have all of those delightful gifts that were bestowed upon you to enjoy (or return).  December 26 is the time to really start enjoying the season without the stress that the endless preparations can entail. 

Here's an example of what I mean about pressure...  Regardless of whether I really like the songs that are being played, and I often don't, I somehow feel that to listen to anything other than the Christmas music on the radio while I am driving is wrong.  After all, that wall to wall musical joy is only on once a year, admittedly for about five or six weeks of the year, now.  So, I swtich between the two stations, resorting to my daughter's new She and Him (or "Them", as I call them simply to annoy her) Christmas album when the choice is between Christmas Shoes on 99.1 and Christmas in the Northwest on 94.5.  This leaves countless good CD's sitting around uselessly...  Until December 26.  I know, it's ridiculous...  But tell me you don't do silly things like this, too.

Shutting down the blog for a few days means that there are some Christmas topics that you'll have to wait a little longer for...  So, look forward to my thoughts on Shiny Brites, the world's premier Christmas ornaments.  We'll also cover some of our favorite Christmas goodies, the Queen's Christmas Speech and the most memorable gifts we've received.  Who knows what else we'll come up with!

Vintage Ideals magazines...
A trip into Christmas' past...  Often
with really bad poetry but really good
illustrations.

In closing, let me wish you a very Merry Christmas...  Writing this blog over the past several months has been an even better than I'd expected.  I love your comments and interest in the things I've written about.