Christmas? What Christmas?

The winter holidays have been a little strange for us so far this year.

Maybe it's the fact we were getting married at Thanksgiving ("Three days until the wedding!  Oh...it's Thanksgiving, isn't it?").  Or maybe it's the effects of moving and not having things settled in enough to think about putting up any winter decorations.  Or maybe it's because for the first time Ben and I are a family unit and that means we're combining traditions and arriving at new ones.  And I'm sure the uncertainty about when Grandma's going to be home is playing into the issue.  But whatever the case...we suddenly realized this week that we have one week left before Christmas and we still don't know what we're doing for it.

Now, I'm sure the celebration will involve some form of visiting our family and eating way too much food (as at the Turner Family Christmas a few days ago).  Beyond that, we're a blank slate.  Probably doesn't help that our families are kind of feeling the same way.  I talked with Mom Tuckfield this morning and she said, "Do you think Christmas could just go away for a few months?"  Mom Turner said, "I have no idea what we're doing yet.  Something.  Making fudge."

That's not so new from my mom, but from Ben's mom that's a very new phenomenon.  She likes Doing Christmas Properly.  Hopefully next year will be a little calmer and more settled!

I sat down and brainstormed a little with my mom on the phone this morning about what presents to give and I suppose that made it feel a little more real, but overall the idea that it's about to be Christmas seems a little surreal to me at the moment.  Granted, I've never been a big celebrator - but I usually make cookies, at least.  I seem to identify times and places by what food I'm cooking and Christmas is no exception.

Maybe if I just make some cookies, it will seem more like the end of December and I'll be less disoriented.  And maybe that will just make Ben gain ten pounds.  Hm.  Maybe just a nice spicy candle instead...