When you Bah Humbug Early Christmas Decorating...

Last night I asked my husband if he wanted to put up and decorate the Christmas tree with the kids. His immediate response: "Not till December."

I have to admit I was a little miffed. After a whopping 22-inch snow-dump and a treacherous ride home from a party, I was so relieved to be in my warm home and curled up under a blanket by the fire. A Christmas tree with its beauty and twinkling lights would have perfected the moment.

I know I'm not alone in my yearning for early Christmas decorating. For a myriad of reasons, people are putting up their trees earlier and earlier, and I wanted to find out why. So, I polled some of UCB's listeners who were "Early-Christmas-Tree Decorators" as to the reasons they decorated early, and these were some of the responses:

Reasons for Decorating Early...

- It makes me happy

- It helps me break out of depression/grief of the loss of a loved one

- Tradition

- It brings joy, enjoyment and excitement

- I love the beauty of the decorations

- I get to use my creativity

- It lights my spirit

- It helps my serotonin levels

- It makes me nostalgic

- For the ambiance

- It brings a calmness that quiets the soul despite the hustle of the season

-It fights the darkness

-I love the family time

-It reminds me why we celebrate

-It brings peace to my soul

-It helps me fight the dark days

-AND (one of my favourites 😊:) Christmas is worth celebrating as long as possible!

Winter Solstice

These are some very good reasons. Truly. There isn’t one reason there that I say, “Hey, why not?” In fact, these reasons made me think of a Winter Solstice Facebook post that gave me pause:

The post went on to say that Winter Solstice used to be celebrated—a time to understand that the winter was a time of burying into our homes, a time of descent and rest and reflecting on what the past year had beheld. Like nature, it is a time of hibernation for our tired bodies and minds.

We’ve been through a lot these past couple years. Covid hit us hard. Many of us are still reeling from the fallout. So, if we can bring ourselves a little bit of peace and joy; if we can fight the darkness and depression with a Christmas tree or Christmas music, then I say, “Go for it.” Because "fighting the darkness" and "bringing peace and joy" are some of the very reasons Jesus came to earth.

So, the next time you feel ready to “Bah humbug” someone for decorating their tree early, remember some of these reasons people decorate early. Because Christmas truly is “worth celebrating as long as possible.” 🎄

*Referenced Artwork by Jessica Boehman

*Referenced Blogpost by Bridget Anna McNeil