’Tis the Season!

 

They say it is hard to be a kid at Christmas, but I think it is pretty hard to be a parent, too. The children may have to be on their best behaviour for Santa, but us grown-ups have to set a good example.

 

It is hard to encourage moderation when it comes to eating chocolates and Christmas cookies when all you want to do is wolf them down yourself. The stress of it is pushing me to dishonesty. When I sat down to eat my box of Toffifee and my daughter asked, “Do I like those?” my answer was “No.” I can’t seem to find time to make cookies, but I sure can find time to eat them. Every time my daughter’s back is turned, that is.

 

Thank goodness Santa does not keep a naughty list of parents, I just can’t handle the pressure to be good for one more person.

Five Little Pumpkins Rotting on the Lawn

 

I have never enjoyed the letdown that comes after a holiday or special occasion. For most people, symptoms can include loneliness, feeling lethargic, mild to severe depression. My post-holiday blues are generally accompanied by a large dose of procrastination and laziness. I suppose a case could be made that I am simply tired after all the work and effort put into preparing for the event, but really, I just don’t want to take the decorations down.

 

Which means I can’t put the next ones up.

 

Which explains the five little pumpkins rotting on my lawn.

 

I got the orange cobwebs, fake spiders and ghosts put away, but I could not get motivated to deal with the jack-o-lanterns that were slowly caving in on themselves. I felt good about moving them off the porch and placing them on the lawn so their oozing, rotting shells would stop staining our lawn chairs. But that is about as far as I got.

 

So if you are wondering about the five snow covered bumps on our front lawn and the lack of Christmas lights, now you know.