What's with advent calendars? What even is an advent calendar? I don't think I've ever even heard of such a thing until amazingly creative ways to fill them started popping up all over my blogosphere/pinterest. And for some reason I think I don't like them. Because (sorry all you advent calendar lovers, you should probably just not read the rest of this) it just seems like a really pointless thing that mostly is one more christmas to do list item that would serve to stress out the lady of the house more than contribute to peaceful lovely holiday feelings. ya know?
I really do actually want to understand though. I've been doing research and it seems some of them are full of treats for the kids and it's fun for them to get a treat every day? So how is that different from the little tin full of ribbon candy my mom kept above the fridge every christmas season and let us pick one every day? Is it like an anticipatory thing--it's exciting to see a visual that you're getting closer and closer every day? So how is that different from the construction paper red and green chain links that count down the days? An advent calendar just seems like big felty tacky overload. Like those people with the giant blow up santas in their yard that make you go "really?? is that necessary?" (note* Maybe they only used to be tacky and felty? Pinterest there are all sorts of new alternative felt free options)
Others seem to want to make the whole tradition more complicated and fill each pocket with a variety of gifts, crafts to do with the kids, and so forth, but holy cow--25 of them? that's a lot of pockets to fill before you even hit the big day. I think I don't want an advent calendar. Sorry if you're into that sort of thing and they hold all kinds of sentimental value for you. Pretend I didn't say anything.
Maybe I just see a lot of expectation and stress put on women this time of year and I don't really think it's fair. Like it's the woman's job to fill the advent calendar, make the lists, buy the gifts, wrap the gifts, plan the party, cook the ham, frost the cookies, mail the cards, stuff the stockings. . . and, what, collapse into an exhausted heap after having thoroughly enjoyed her holly jolly christmas?
I think I'm so dead set on that not being what my holiday turns into as an adult woman that I've kind of gone too far the other way. Like, instead I'm just not going to do any of those things. But some of those things are actually fun, right? Most of those things are actually fun!
Guys, I think I'm turning into a Grinch.
I'm supposed to decorate for this, right? Like I'm in charge of a household now and for some bizarro reason it's the lady of the houses responsibility to decorate the house for occasions such as Christmas. I kind of don't feel like it though. I totally understand division of male and female roles, but how did this one happen? How many men are there in your life that set out the nativity and bowls of ornaments, wrap the pine bough things around the banisters, and put wreaths on the doors? And has a wife completely uninvolved in the whole operation who walks in, looks around and says "good work honey, it looks nice" ?? right.
I don't have a Christmas tree up yet (which stresses me out not one tiny bit), and it took until, oh, about last year to realize that some people really do actually set up their tree the day after Thanksgiving. The Bramhalls didn't . . . . really do that. Not ever. Not even kind of close. One year we took the tree down on Valentines Day if that tells you anything about how long it took us to put it up. Taking the tree down on the 26th just seems so wrong--like you've just been dying from Christmas to be over already and now you can finally get that monstrosity of holiday cheer out of your living room. What's wrong with letting it stay a while?
I've been in college mode for the past 6 years where there isn't a single brain cell to spare for gearing up for the holiday until after finals week. You know, around the late teens of the month. That sounds about right to me. Getting ready for Christmas starting around the 17th. I'm probably being a jerk. Some of you have more children than I do and maybe even children with children so you are kind of responsible for the fulfillment of a lot of little hopeful hearts. But the point is, I feel like I'm kind of sitting around not getting ready for Christmas wondering why all of you are so uppidty about it already. Don't you know we still have 20 days? Doesn't your advent calendar tell you that?
I laughed through this whole post.
ReplyDeleteI am not much for pinterest, but oh man I can only imagine the Christmas chaos going on there. My family had a felt advent calendar growing up, it had the nativity on it and the star on a string that you stuck in a pocket for each new day. The day by day anticipation WAS fun, my mom did not make Christmas candy ... but I can see why that would be your preference:
Case in point:
I want one of those wooden advent calendars with the doors so I can put a piece of candy in each day ... mostly because I like candy and any and all excuses to eat it ... and all the rich kids had such calendars when I was growing up and I envied them, yes my Christmas traditions are mostly based on what I had no control over as a child (aka selfishness, embarrassing)... please judge freely ;)
Decorating ... oh man, I think decorating is only something you should do if you enjoy doing it. Some women do. Did you even pass by that house in Downtown Farmington on the way to the Jr. High where they had their whole yard DECKED out for EVERY holiday? I like the thoroughness of that ... even if I would never have the desire to do it myself.
In Relief Society last Sunday it seemed like all the women were talking about Christmas like they were gearing up to go to battle; prayers for the ability to handle stress, comments about keeping focus ... I feel bad for the women who feel the need to do things that stress them out around the holidays. Don't bite off more than you can chew! (Unless it's homemade fudge or almond bark, then by all means)
Sigh ... I should just email you when I write comments like this. :)