The Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar is one of my favorite holiday traditions. It’s a downloadable electronic experience, set in various interesting locations. Last year it was London, this year it’s Sussex.
In this countdown to Christmas, users click on a number, one through 25, and are treated to an animated video—a celebration of St. Lucia Day, for example, with small girls in procession, singing, wreaths of lights upon their heads. (That year the calendar was set in a Nordic village.) Or it might be an activity, like dressing up a snow person.
The numbers are embedded in a scenic landscape (usually on ornaments), and there’s always a cozy, decorated room to visit in one of the buildings. There, users can learn about the various traditions depicted and the lovely classical music in the background, play games and assemble jigsaw puzzles.
It’s a relaxing way to spend 15 minutes after dinner in the lead-up to Christmas Day. I also enjoy gifting friends with the calendar. But, truly, the best part is that users can’t open an activity until its time arrives. Number One is on Dec. 1. Number 25 is on Christmas.
You can buy the calendar right now. You can look around the scene and visit the sitting room. But there’s no cheating. Click on December 1st all you want. It won’t open.
How refreshing is that, when the American “celebration” of Christmas started before Halloween this year?
I believe in tradition. The Christmas season starts with the first Sunday of Advent, which, conveniently for us, comes right after Thanksgiving. In fact, I discovered that the daily activities on the calendar couldn’t be accessed until Dec. 1 when I went on at the start of Advent and clicked on the ornament numbered “one.” It took me a minute to realize my mistake.
My reaction: “Oh, Jacquie Lawson, you are even more of a stickler than I am!”
I feel so strongly about this subject that, in the past, I would get angry when I walked into a store to buy toothpaste or laundry detergent in early November and saw a display of Christmas candy. Now I’m just resigned to the madness. But I will not succumb. My tree is not decorated, my wreath will not be hung, until November 27th.
I celebrate Christmas from Advent Sunday until Epiphany. As I should. As everybody would, if I ruled the world.
Tradition is my major objection to the early start on the season. But it’s not the only one. I also am a believer in living in the moment, which to me also means living in reality. I check the temperature before I head out the door. It’s not hard. It’s right there on my smart watch. If it’s 32 degrees, as it was this morning, I wear a coat, hat and gloves.
The flip-flops are stashed away until May. I am now wearing pants. If you are in shorts in mid November, I am sneering at you in my head. Sue me.
Now is the time for winter jackets. It is also the time for pumpkins. I ignore the evergreen swags with jaunty red ribbons that taunt me as I make my way into the supermarket. It’s not easy.
Everybody was in such a hurry to get pumpkin spice coffee—in August. Summer. So wrong. You can bet that no pumpkin in any way, shape or form crossed my lips before September 23rd. The autumnal equinox should be observed and a pumpkin spice coffee is a fine way to do it.
Also, decorative maize and jack-o’-lanterns, scarecrows and corn stalks can be displayed after this date.
Mums are good any time that you, personally, feel fall-ish, but I will say if you buy them too early you will also lose them early.
Because, you see, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3)
Peppermint mocha coffee’s time has not yet arrived. Trust me, it tastes better if you wait until the 27th.
It’s called delayed gratification, and it’s what grown-ups do.
Before Election Day, I might have made a snarky remark now and then that apparently there are no grown-ups left in America, but the midterms proved me wrong. Now I’m wondering if there are enough of us to stop the Christmas in October craziness.
My final appeal for sanity is in defense of Thanksgiving, which has become the planet Pluto of holidays. I love Thanksgiving. It’s all about food and cooking and baking (my favorite things) and does not involve presents. Why can’t we just focus on pumpkins and stuffing and family gatherings and (groan) football for the month between Halloween and Thanksgiving? Then we can finally heave ourselves with abandon into Christmas.
Oh, why do I even try? I have accepted that I am a lone voice in the wilderness. I celebrate my holiday my way, and that’s all that counts.
Still, it isn’t easy. I downloaded the Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar so I could make sure my details here were correct. Usually I wouldn’t do that until you-know-when. I entered the scene, and it was so very festive. I sighed with delight.
But once I’d fact-checked, I shut it right down. December 1st will be here soon enough. Isn’t it lovely I have something to look forward to?
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