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Monday, December 06, 2010

Tortoise or Hare?


Nature Mantle, originally uploaded by Kristianna.

A few weeks before Christmas my sister and I would arrive home after school to a house utterly transformed from the way it looked that morning. Our normal house would be in full holiday mode: bows on staircase spindles, a special 12 Days of Christmas ornament set hanging from the chandelier, every flat surface a display of some sort--all done that day sometime between 9 and 3.

I am possibly the world's slowest holiday decorator. It takes me a week or more, in little bursts. Just today I am putting away the Thanksgiving handprint turkeys, painted leaves, and gourds and have hung the wreaths by the front door. The rubbermaid bins remain in the garage while I mentally rearrange things, probably to be pulled out in 2 or 3 more days. What I'm saying is I'm not speedy, and I am okay with that.

What's your style? Are you a tortoise or a hare? Is it by choice or nature, and do you enjoy your way of doing things?

As for me, at this time, I am content that I'm not one of those all in a day decorators. I tweak and adjust the entire time, practically until I am putting everything back away again. It's just how I roll, I guess. Whenever I try to live up to some expectations formed by idealism or too many holiday magazines, I become cranky, and then no one has much fun... and isn't fun the point of it all, anyway? If I'm not even enjoying it, then why bother? My kids will remember the overall feeling of a holiday more than whether we made the gingerbread house before or after break started.

(And yet, I do someday imagine the thrill of that 'big reveal' upon returning home... I guess this tortoise has to dream, ha ha.)

1 comment:

Elle said...

:) It's funny. I'm more of a hare in that case. I like to get 'em all up at once, for the most part. This year is a little different, but for the most part, it's pretty much all. up. :)

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