Slaying the Giants

The annual foray into our workshop to haul out the Christmas decorations is always an adventure. There's usually evidence of animal nesting, along with their offal. This year, after bumping through the boxes at midnight to get to the kitchen, joy of joys, I noticed the delightful aroma of cat spray on one of the totes. In a year of epic absurdity, now my house smells like feral cats. Maybe I'll put on an extra sweater and become That Lady. 

Last year, I was working a blue streak and decided to only do one small tree, compared to my usual 3-4. We did it, nobody perished from the shock, and Christmas was still Christmas. This year, however, even if it takes me 'til Christmas Eve, I'm defying the spirit of 2020 and we're pulling out the stops. Then we're not taking it down until Epiphany, at least. I'll put up my quirky teddy bear tree, gussy up the countertops and mantels, and the Big Tree is taking up its bodacious residence in the living room (the thing takes four hours to get all its branches on, not counting the lights or the decorations). I might have some micro-mini holiday parties and soirees, jus' sayin. We gotta have tangible reasons for all this folderol. I actually heard several women talking the other day about how they couldn't wait for Christmas music to come on the radio. It's been many years since I've heard such sentiments. In Narnia, when it was all frozen up, Mr. Tumnus said, "It is winter in Narnia  and has been for ever so long...always winter, but never Christmas." Aslan, the great Lion, overpowered the Witch with his supreme sacrifice and freed the frozen tundra and its inhabitants. Christmas came in with its glory, and good triumphed over evil, just like all the best stories. 

I'm making a list of all the unpleasant things that I don't want to do or deal with. Some of it is just the laundry, but other issues are much more complicated. I'm going to trundle through, as I'm decorating the house, facing those little giants that I don't like to face. I will slay them one by one, by God's grace. So with my vanquished list, a festive house, and the internet to help with shopping, maybe we'll get a nice, Narnia Christmas this year. Sounds good to me.