Normally... I always wait until after Thanksgiving to begin celebrating the Christmas season... this year however is an exception. I am going to DIS CON which means I lose almost a 1 1/2 weeks from December ... if my family is going to enjoy the holidays despite my indulgence of taking off and playing with a bunch of DISers... then I need to move a little faster this year. So... the weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving... we will be putting up our tree, and I am trying to get the gift shopping finished early for the same reason.
As for the hassle... it only get's that way if you let it. What is important to you and your family? Do those things... and nothing else. For us... it is:
Lighting lots of candles and turning out all the lights in the house except the Christmas tree lights... and then either listening to christmas music or watching one of our favorite christmas DVD's. DD particularly loves this and BEGS to do this almost every night through the holidays!
Putting a big puzzle out on the main table ... and working on it together. Talking and laughing as we slowly bring the puzzle to a finished state.
Picking a family from our local giving tree and doing something "extra" ... what fun it is to think about it and then find that something special.
Notice none of the above included "shopping till I dropped", or "baking every imaginable sugary treat", or entertaining people "I barely like". Instead... it is about slowing down and indulging in the winter solstice tradition of spending a little quiet time with family... reconnecting. It is also about affirming our religious beliefs.
So to answer the question.... no you are not alone in that it does seem to stretch beyond the normal "holiday season" anymore... but for me I don't care - bring em on.
