Santa Did What?

I decorated the house for Christmas last week.

I was pretty proud of myself. Usually I wind up storing away whole rooms worth of photos, vases, and multiple other assorted knickknacks, in the quest to spread Christmas cheer throughout the first floor of my house.

I get this inclination from my mother. Every holiday season growing up, each square inch of our house screamed Ho-Ho-Ho. To be fair, it was the 70's; a lot of things were extreme, especially in the decorating department.

But thinking back, our house looked like Santa threw up in it. Seriously. That is, if Santa's throw-up contained tinsel and a vast assortment of shiny and/or red and green holiday kitsch.

The sad part is I loved it. And as soon as I had independent space of my own, I tried my merry best to emulate it: my college dorm room, first apartment, and later, my house.

By the time I came to my senses several years ago, it was too late. My children, near-grown though they may be, are attached to the decorations like Rudolph to his nose.

My casual assertions of, "I think we'll scale back this year," have been met with strong reaction.

"No, you can't! It's tradition. You'll destroy the very foundation upon which our childhood security and future happiness rests."

Okay, maybe they don't say those exact words, but the implication is clear.

This year however, two of them are away at college. They'll return shortly before Christmas, happy merely to be home and basking in the warm glow of my motherly love and affection.

At least, that's what I'm counting on. See, I decorated while the only remaining child, Daughter #2, was at school. And I cleverly managed to fill a whole box with things I no longer care to display.

The best part is, she hasn't noticed a thing. I've got my fingers crossed her siblings will be equally oblivious (Daughter #2, if you're reading this, pay no attention to these silly words. I would never deceive my own children. And besides, you know everything I write here is a complete lie).

So what do I plan on doing with that box of discarded holiday cheer? Why, pass it on to my own offspring of course.

I wouldn't want to deprive them of one day experiencing first hand the joy of Santa's throwing up Christmas tradition right in their very own homes.

 

Comments

[SuziCate]

Santa throwing up...love it! I used to go overboard when the kids were small. I've cut back and I miss it. This year I feel like a scrooge and am trying my best to get my falala going!

[WickedStepMom]

Passing on the decorations is probably the best idea. They will have some childhood memories of it so it will be that much more special. Also, if it gets you out of putting up the decorations, then I would say Bonus!!

[Jan]

Overboard? I have TWO TREES. Well, I have them, but this year only one went up; I feel like some sort of Ebenezer Scrooge. (We'll just ignore the fact that the living room and dining room are stuffed with Santas and snowmen, okay?)

[Diane]

Ingenious strategy! It is difficult to discard those items so objectionable to your aesthetic sensibilities, while somewhere, inside, the child clinging to the magic of Christmas still holds tightly. Passing these items along to the next generation is JUST the thing! Problem solved. If only every household item purging project were so easy.

[Pseudo]

All I've done this year is put up a wreath. maybe I should bust out just one box of stuff....

[Menopausal New Mom]

That is so funny, I grew up in that overly decorated environment myself but I loved it! I miss it now, I have to keep my decorating to a minimum, I'm lucky to get a tree. I do all the outside decor and the greenery around the house. Should have known I would have to adapt as soon as I said "I do" to someone who was raised Jewish, but I'm lucky, he just sits back and lets me do what I want. Don't want to spook him though so I keep it tasteful, as tasteful as tinsel and flashing lights can be Lol!

[Joan]

Since we recently downsized so did our tree this year. We just don't have room right now for a 6ft tree so we got a 4ft table top tree. I thought it was going to be hard deciding what ornaments to put on it. I came up with the idea of only using ornaments on the top row of the ornament box. Daughter didn't like that idea, her favs were of course on rows 2 and 3. So we compromised. The tree looks lovely and hopefully next year we'll find room for the big one again.
Also.. a few years ago I had to get rid of ornaments, there were just too many and some were looking their age. I took pics of them before they left.

[Twenty Four At Heart]

I've cut back too. Well, at least I cut back last year. This year I have yet to decorate a thing! Egads ...!

[LPC]

Yes. For the first time, I am using only some of the ornaments on the tree...some still sit in the box and will probably spend the season in the garage. At a certain point, you know?

[Sprite's Keeper]

Your plans are merry and a little bit evil. I heart you!

[PLRH]

When I was in college my mother waited until I got home to decorate. At the time, she told me that she didn't want me to miss out on the experience. Now I think she just wanted me to get the boxes out of the attic. :)

[Arwen]

Lol. I love decorating for Christmas. Just as my interest in the frillier parts of the season were beginning to wane, I had kids. Now it is even more fun and hard not to go overboard. Twenty years from now, when I get tired of it again, hopefully I can remember your plan.

[Heather]

My MIL is just as bad, but she does it for all the holidays! I don;t think she had any regular decor. She leaves one holiday up till the next rolls around. I'm talking everything from throw pillows and blankies to kitchenware!

Kudos for you and your extra box of hand-me-downs!

[Picture Imperfect]

...

So THAT's why I got all of the "previously cherished" decorations when I moved out....

:oP

[Jane]

I'll never forget, the first year all of their kids had moved out, my parents scaled back on their decorating and didn't even get a tree that year! The horror! We all let them have it - without realizing the incredible work that went into it. Then WE all had children - a whole new appreciation is in play now!

[Jen on the Edge]

I've already passed on some things to my daughters -- a few extra nutcrackers from my collection. By the time they're grown up, I'm sure I'll be ready to pass on lots more to them.

[jessica]

so that trick works even when they are older? Nice.

[lisleman]

it's the quality not the quantity - right?
My taste are certainly on the simple low effort range of things. IMHO - if your daughter wants more decorations she should put them up and maybe if possible put them away (that's the not fun part).
More important than the decorations is the spirit of celebrating so hopefully we all have plenty of that.

[Erin]

All of my decorations, including my artificial small tree, fits snugly into a large rubbermaid crate. It's pretty impressive. Yet I still have a ton of crap.
To be fair - I had a ton of old stuff that I got rid of due to ex-husband germs.
:-) I'd love to see more photos of your kitsch.

[Lynn]

Talking about throwing up--we had a neighbor once who put up Halloween decor. Then added the Christmas. Which stayed up until Easter, when the Easter eggs were hung on Rudoph's antlers.

All the tackiest, plastic-est (!), air-filled-iest decor (and I use the term loosely) possible.

I'll bet your home looks great. Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without a bit of kisch, imo.

[kathryn]

Wow...your children put things so eloquently...not a "NO FAIR!" in the bunch!

I also fell into the trap of (ahem) overdecorating every year...thanks mainly to The Christmas Tree Shop at the Cape...which just made it nearly impossible to NOT BUY IT.

So, between that and the Hallmark decorations for every child's first 5 birthdays (times 3), plus the pregnancies...yada, yada.

My fear is that the boys (being boys) won't want 'em!

[kys]

I have 2 boxes of unwanted decorations waiting to be taken to Goodwill. It was just too much.