I know lots of folks put up their Christmas trees right after Thanksgiving -- even on Thanksgiving Day. I've never done that, preferring to wait, normally, till mid-December. But due to some scheduling conflicts with our popcorn stringers, this year we're putting the tree up a week early.
So I'm digging out the red and green quilts while John goes off to the Farmers' Market in search of our tree. I don't feel very Christmassy but here we go.
John will put up the tree and add the lights this afternoon.
We'll string popcorn and cranberries on Sunday -- all the while lamenting the absence of long-time participants Cory (the guy, not the cat) and Kasie who can't make the trip from California this year.
I brought out the lights and began stringing them up the stairs. At first I didn't plug them in -- my internal clock saying that it was too early and I was just getting ready. . . there's still all that greenery to bring in and hang on the stair and put across the mantel . . . But then I gave in . . . and on a gray day that didn't feel like any holiday at all, those cheerful little lights made me smile -- and it began to look something like Christmas.