Things I know for Sure
About Christmas
I’m writing this post from the Hotel Del Coronado, where I’ve had the great fortune to celebrate a friend’s milestone birthday. The hotel has spent the weekend transforming itself for the Holidays, and though I usually wait until Thanksgiving to put up my tree, it has put me in the mood for festivities, and brought to mind this list I made a few years ago. But like most things I know for sure, some things are subject to change with time, experience, and age, so I’ve annotated the list in italics.
What I Know for Sure About Christmas
As inconvenient, messy, and high-maintenance as they are, real Christmas trees are cheaper, cooler and better than good fakes. Except silver tinsel trees from the fifties. Those rock. This remains true except for the gold trees I found at Restoration Hardware a few years ago. Also, I caved and bought a good fake so I can put it up right after Thanksgiving, so I can love a real tree and have a fake one, and both things can be true.
Kids are great tree decorators. Even with the glass ornaments. Especially when they create vignettes, like the Star Wars scene and Toy Soldier corner. Making hot chocolate and playing Christmas music has helped to make this a tradition that even my teenage kids still do.
And they have much more patience with glitter than their fathers. They’ve now become their father, who calls glitter the herpes of craft projects.
Tree decorating is best done with wine, no matter what time of day it is. True story.
Traditions matter. Absolutely true story!
Even the ones they've outgrown. Add hot chocolate and they revert back to the six-year-olds who loved them.
And naps are never overrated. And always appreciated.
Activity advent calendars are a great idea until they become work for the mom.
And that kind of planning is always work.
Organic pastry flour makes terrible spritz cookies.
Whole milk and real butter are the only options.
And bacon. But not for the cookies.
Perfect cookies are not worth the disappointment of boys who didn't get to operate the cookie press. Now they’re better at it than their mom. See above comment about wine.
Another batch of cookies will always be worth it.
Glitter is forever. See above comment about herpes.
Homemade presents are always better than store-bought. Made by a child is best of all.
Even with glitter. And now even the teen children appreciate the homemade presents.
It's ten times more satisfying to find the perfect gift for someone else than to receive one.
And ridiculously satisfying to wrap it beautifully.
A first tooth lost while eating a candy cane on the last day of school before Christmas break is the best kind.
Tooth fairies know this and save two-dollar bills for those occasions.
Elves on the Shelves are not cute bringers of swag on the days leading up to the big haul. They're evil little spies and should have the dogs set on them for their skulking, destructive ways. Still true.
Because seriously? They're elves. Minions. Tricksters and troublemakers all.
And who in their right mind has time to plan their shennanigans?
ABC Family is a great default channel in December. At least until 8pm.
Donnor was mean. The other Reindeer were bullies. And I always though Hermey the wanna-be dentist pulled the Abominable Snowman's teeth to make him gentle. But no, toothless bumble was kept in chains and paraded through the north pole like a madman on display.
Sometimes it's hard to keep the magic.
But if we don't, how can we keep it alive for anyone else?
Because the key to Christmas is magic.
And glitter.
Enjoy the magic and traditions of your holidays, no matter how you celebrate.