When Are We Going to Decorate for Christmas?
A Reflection with Dr. Cevey
Earlier this week, Veronica asked me when we were going to start decorating the office for Christmas. For a long as I remember, I’ve always chosen to begin Christmas decorating at the office the same time we traditionally did so at home, which is after the Thanksgiving holidays are over. I have a vague impression that in the last several years, the property managers of the building have started putting up Christmas lights shortly after Halloween, but prior to this year it’s never crossed my mind to consider also doing the same in the actual space that belongs to Cevey Pediatrics.
At the Cevey home, when the kids were little, it was tradition to pull out the Christmas tree and boxes of Christmas decorations as soon as Thanksgiving leftovers were put away ... sometimes the same evening, sometimes the next day. To be honest I don’t enjoy the actual putting up of decorations because of the work involved, but once everything is up, the sight of all the sparkly lights and beautiful ivory accents against the backdrop of navy, crimson, and emerald always puts me in a festive mood. So, considering that, I asked myself why have I always waited until the end of November to make everything beautiful and sparkly?
There are the practical considerations, of course. Procrastination, if you're thinking it, actually is NOT one of them. Actually, at our house, there is only one practical consideration … as soon as Christmas decorations are up, we have to keep an eye on the cat, who for whatever reason is drawn to chewing on the lower boughs of our Christmas tree. One month of figuring out how to shoo the cat away from the tree is better than two months!
In considering my feelings about this question, I end up considering my feelings about what Thanksgiving means to me. What makes the Thanksgiving holidays special to me is more of a coziness. It can be as hustle and bustle as Christmas, but it's also about gratitude and enjoying special dishes and desserts that I subconsciously associate with the love that went into making them. Holding off Christmas decorating until after Thanksgiving gives me a chance to savor and appreciate these feelings more. Each year it seems that signs of Christmas appear earlier and earlier, overshadowing Thanksgiving, which almost is too polite to assert itself. Maybe I just want to stand up for it, and make sure it has a chance to shine also?
That being said, the beauty of the holidays lies in making traditions that bring YOU joy, for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the holidays not individually recognized above (since I lack any experience celebrating them).
Sincerely,
Dr. Cevey
August-October Practice Topics with Cevey Pediatrics
(click on each topic to learn more)
We've updated our appointments policy at Cevey Pediatrics. It is our intention to provide your children the best care possible at all times and to accommodate as many requests as is realistic and feasible. It is within this context that we ask you to take a few moments to review our new policy below:
Cevey Pediatrics Appointments Policy
