It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

Joseph is very INTO the holidays this year, in every possible way.  When I pulled out my paltry collection of Halloween/Fall decorations this year, he was aghast. I have never owned an abundance of Halloween decorations, and the older I get the more simplified and streamlined I have made our holiday decorating.  Well, according to Joseph, this is Unacceptable.

He talked to me incessantly about our sad state of festive preparedness and what types of Halloween decorations we needed to buy until I finally took him to the store and let him pick out a few things to jazz up our walkway.  I am realizing belatedly that I didn't ever take a picture of our festive and tacky new decorations . . . . skeleton window clings, bright yellow caution tape wrapped around the front porch, light up ghosts to line the walkway. You get the idea. And Joseph was really  happy.

Until the day after Halloween, when he wondered where my box of Thanksgiving decorations was hiding.  "Hmmmm," I said, "I think I have a few turkeys somewhere." And I found three cute little turkeys to add to the tables in the living room. But did that satisfy my little holiday decoration aficionado?  Oh no, no, no. Unacceptable. So, he decided to try a new tack and proposed that we decorate early for Christmas.  Like now - right now.

Last Sunday I was taking a nap after church. Apparently while I was in a semi-sleep state Joseph asked me if he could get out some of the Christmas boxes.  And apparently I said yes (to get him to leave me alone, I'm sure, but I do not remember this). So, he immediately went downstairs to tell Dan that "Mom said you are supposed to get out some Christmas boxes."  So, they did. And when I came downstairs a few hours later, this is what I saw.

 

 

 

That's right . . . turkeys co-existing with snowmen, Christmas trees, and all our regular decor. It's very unique. Our house looked like frantic Christmas elves threw decorations around haphazardly.  And to Joseph it looked just right.

Dan and I talked and decided that there is no compelling reason to hold off on Christmas decorating until after Thanksgiving, other than the avoidance of extra clutter in the house. So, we decided to follow the lead of our youngest and jump headlong into the holidays.  Which wasn't too difficult, because Bailey has been listening to Christmas music since the day after Halloween and both she and Joseph have already written multiple Christmas lists. (And Joseph has written many, many letters to Santa, currying favor before the big day arrives.)

 And that's how we do holidays at the Porter home. Early and wholeheartedly.