The older I get, the shorter the time between Halloween and Christmas becomes. When I was a kid, the months of November and December were endless, even with all the days off from school. What is there to do between the time you hit the bottom of the Halloween candy bucket and the time you open your stocking on Christmas morning, while your exhausted parents slurp their coffee and bake last-minute Christmas treats?
Now I can't seem to find time to catch my breath, let alone catch the holiday spirit. There's the cooking and travel of Thanksgiving (not to mention all the dishes!) followed immediately by Christmas shopping, Christmas travel and cleaning for all the holiday company.
In years past, I found myself wandering the mall, foot-weary and wild-eyed, spending too much money on uninspired gifts for people I didn't care enough about to justify the stress I was experiencing. And with no snow yet, it all just seems pointless.
Even if you are without religious commitments for Christmas, there is still plenty to celebrate, including the end of another year, time with friends and loved ones and the Winter Solstice, which is on December 22nd this year.
Here are some ways to enjoy the magic of the holiday season without being caught up in religious or retail activities.
1. Watch something. Try a holiday classic for the whole family like A Charlie Brown Christmas or Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas. Charlie Brown is available on Hulu right now, and Emmet Otter is available for streaming on Netflix. If those are too wholesome, enjoy Die Hard, The Holiday, or Love Actually.
2. Mull something. Wine or apple cider, warmed with spices like cinnamon, cloves and cardamom pods makes your house smell cozy and inviting.
3. Give something. Collect your gently worn clothing and winter coats and donate them to Goodwill or to a local coat drive. Someone will be warmer this winter because of your effort and you will get a head start on your "Out with the old" New Year's resolution. Or set up a small, regular donation to a local food bank or other charity of your choice. A few minutes spent this season will help your favorite organization throughout the year.
4. Bake something. Ask your mom or grandma for your favorite childhood cookie recipe. Or, heck, search the internet for something chocolate-y or cinammon-y that you can share with friends and co-workers, or polish off yourself while watching Miracle on 34th Street for the 34th time.
5. Decorate something. Put up a tree, or if that's out of your budget (trees are expensive, dude) decorate your doorways or string a frame of lights around a window or section of wall. Hang garland, ornaments or holiday cards around the lights. Don't forget to get some mistletoe!
6. Walk somewhere. If you're not up for decorating your place, enjoy someone else's decorations. Walk down Main Street to see the decorations in the stores and at city hall or at the local park. Stop and ponder just how long it must take to light all the trees on the town common. Or bundle up and find a neighborhood with excellent lights and ogle them. Travel mugs of cocoa (with peppermint schnapps, if you'd rather) make this a little warmer on windy nights.
7. Plan something. Christmas is pretty much the end of the year. Take some quiet time to think about what you're proud of this year and what you'd like to do differently. Because if you wait until January 1st to make your resolutions, you might end up with "drink less" and "eat less Brie and more vegetables" because those are the sins on your mind. You are getting the gift of a whole new year to do amazing things, so taking an hour or so to decide what's important is a small investment.
8. Wear something. Pick out a cozy sweater or a shiny blouse in red or green or silver. Find some dramatic snowflake earrings or an outrageous wreath pin. If you can't do it earnestly, organize an ugly holiday sweater event with your co-workers, and invite everyone to wear their most outrageous Christmas-wear. Look for something good at the thrift store when you donate those winter coats.
9. Make something. It doesn't matter if you are a master knitter or if your medium is magazine scraps and Elmer's glue. Decorate some cards or make a gift for someone special. Quick items like warm slippers or a handmade washcloth given with fancy soap make a thoughtful (and inexpensive) gift for a friend or relative.
10. Wrap something. It's tempting to wait until the last minute to wrap the gifts you bought and made this December. I mean, it's just paper, right? And isn't it more environmentally friendly to just give your presents in their shopping bags? Right, sure, but they look so nice all wrapped up, either under your tree or tucked in a corner of your living room. Put on the Christmas carol station on the radio and wrap gifts a few at a time.
Before you know it, Christmas will be here, and you, my skeptical, over-busy friend, will be ready. Happy Holidays!
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