This year Charlie and I aren't decorating for Christmas. (Collective gasp for those who know me, I know). But it is no lie: we have not a single bulb or garland to be found in the entire apartment....
Don't get me wrong. We could have decorated. We could have opened the tree, the ornaments, the whole shebang, but considering we are moving at the beginning of January, frankly it just didn't make sense. We are going to be packing and unpacking boxes so much that we may so much as never want or see another box again.... it seemed like the smart thing to do.
For me this is a huge deal, though. See, I am a huge traditionalist. Every year, "Santa" brings Christmas to town in the Detroit Thanksgiving day parade, thus making Christmas music "legal" to play (I will kindly plug my ears and exit the room if you play it before this day). I love the advent calendar, and the decorating of the tree with hand-crafted childhood ornaments, and the hanging of the garland, and mistletoe, and so on and so forth.
It's not necessary at all: Christmas is about Jesus and family and has nothing to do with decorations and "stuff," but they sure help the holiday feel so merry. So, I'm choosing to look at our lack of Christmas decor as a way of celebrating from "within", a-la John 3:16-- For God so loved the world that he gave his only son.
Today this is our garland and decor! Happy time of Christmas cheer from the Snearly's undecorated home, bursting with joy and thanksgiving :)
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