Oh, Why Not, It's Christmas!
by Wanda Violet
December 24, 2008

Wanda wrote this article and it was picked up by the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper. I liked it and thought it would be a great Christmas Eve column.

So I was sick for a few days, miserably. Lost the week of work. Looked around and today was already the 15th of December. I realized that I had not decorated for Christmas yet.

I don't usually do too much decorating for the holidays. I guess that stems from a number of causes... not being allowed to have it for 20 years, not having money for it, not having a home for it, and then moving so much. Now, here in Tallahassee with Jim, our place is a bit small for a tree.

You know, if you are going to do this whole Christmas thing, then shouldn't you do it right? I mean, a real tree, and carefully placed decorations and lights, and maybe a perfect arrangement of poinsettias on the table with slender tapers coming from the center of it.

Growing up in Pensacola, our home on Martha Street was the best decorated one in the whole neighborhood. We had the silver, tinsel tree on a rotating tree stand, with the spotlight on it that had a revolving plastic disc turning and turning to change the colors on the tree and in the room. I can still hear the low, labored humming sound it made.

We had two large suitcases full of lights, big light bulbs that rimmed every edge and angle of our little one story home. Every window in the house had an electric candle. We made certain that Santa would see our house and be sure to stop, because, after all we had worked so hard. Yep, we did Christmas up really big. We did it right.

Well, that was it. I decided I had to do something. So, at lunch I ran over to Jim's shop, where my decorations are stored, and asked him to help me get a few boxes out. He loaded me up with some plastic storage tubs, and I headed home.

Backing Ruby (my red RAV4) up close to the door, I started unloading the boxes. With each trip back and forth, I started feeling better about the whole thing—started getting a little eager about seeing which of the supplies I had brought home and which ones I would put up.

I was hoping to find my wreath. It is the strangest wreath. Its plastic, long green needles have laser tip ends to them. Beats me how that works. But anyway, they change colors somehow and make an undulating flow of colors run all around it, over and over. Maybe it is a throwback to my memories of the rotating plastic disc in front of the spotlight on the tinsel tree of my childhood. I like it.

Digging through the silk poinsettias I found the 20" Christmas tree with pre-strung lights and cheap miniature ornaments, which include two plastic, gold painted cherubs—I never have understood why cherubs, why gold, and why two. Anyway, it went up very easily and quickly, as you can imagine. So there you go, we now had a tree.

Then I found a whole tub full of strings of miniature lights. Ok, now I was having fun. I started stringing lights everywhere I could find a plug. I put them on top of ledges and cabinets, lighting the ceilings, and outside all along our walkway lighting the path to the car.

I'm still plundering through the boxes and tubs. I haven't found the wreath yet. Jim said he will check the shop for me tomorrow to see if there is another box of decorations.

Even if I am late with all this, it's ok. I've never been the organized one, or the timely one, but I have always been one to care and dream and wonder, maybe too much at times. However, it is not too late for Christmas. It's always a good time to celebrate and rejoice with or without lights, for the Savior loves me in my wonderings and wanderings, my disorganization and lateness, and my daydreams and forgetfulness, and you have no idea how happy that makes me.

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