Getting in the Holiday Spirit

[Karen]

Saw Lizbud's thread by this title in the Dog House - entirely different subject than what it brought to mind for me. What puts you in the holiday spirit? As the stores have had "Christmas" things on display since September in some cases, don't count that one bit. I try to ignore that entirely, as a matter of fact.

We usually spend Thanksgiving at Paul's sister's house in New Hampshire, so in the car on the way back home, usually play either the Muppet Christmas Carol CD, or the Charlie Brown Christmas one. That music playing as the car travels down a dark highway really signals the beginning of the season for me.

Other prompts - the evergreens, fragrant and fresh, that go on sale at the local produce market - I walk past them and quietly inhale the scent and am transported.

And every day, more people put up their Christmas lights, and as sunset is so early - it was setting at 4:15 after a cool grey day, bright gold on the Western horizon silhouetting the bare grey branches of a million deciduous trees gone into winter sleep - so the lights on house get switched on, on fences and trees, and whatever whimsy strikes, and they cheer the dark streets.

What heralds the season for you?

[Grace]

What heralds the season for you?

The day the candy is put out in the grocery store





The music - all those glorious Carols and Hymns.

[Alysser]

Definitely the music and the decorations, especially the older music like Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby. I love gifts as much as the next person but I really do enjoy the time I spend with my family on holidays.

[chocolatepuppy]

I love Christmas! I got my tree up and decorated, front porch lit up. I don't like 'starting' Christmas until at least Thanksgiving Day. They've started playing Christmas music on the radio. That gets me in the mood.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Starting my Christmas cards which I'll be doing today and tomorrow. I also enjoy watching the "Hallmark" and "Lifetime" channels because they have many heartwarming Christmas stories.

[Freedom]

It's an interesting question. Some years, I have a difficult time getting into it. This year, I have even surprised myself, I have the cards for the swap done and mailed -- which means I got the dogs dressed and photographed ages back! Put the tree up, started decorating that and the house.

The music definitely helps, but I won't listen to it before Thanksgiving.

The dark evenings surely help with the mood, and yet as I said at the start, some years it doesn't work. Hm . . ..

The smell of the evergreens in the shops, oooh, LOVE that! I do miss having a live cut tree in the house for that reason. But it is just not practical for now, Dad can't help me get it in and up and I can't do it alone.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I love Christmas music, and around Thanksgiving I usually pull out my sheet music and play some tunes on the piano. We usually put up the tree the day after Thanksgiving, too.

[mrspunkysmom]

For the past 10 years or so I have had difficulty getting in the spirit for any holiday, including my favorite, Halloween. Life has been Hell.

This Fall is the first time in years that I have felt upbeat. So let's see if I can get up a few decorations and perhaps deck some halls?

I'm a formally trained musician, so usually the music gets me in the spirit for Christmas. I feel bereft when it stops on Dec. 26th.