Decorating Early

Once upon a time we bought an old house with three stories and beautiful pillars and I made my children hate Christmas because we had about 35 boxes to bring up every year, and I was cranky about making the house beautiful and I never enjoyed Christmas ….the End.

This house, I am MUCH better… and my one at home child would respond with a resounding YES as she only had to help me bring up three large boxes….the rest are in easy bags and every year I get a little bit smaller in my decorating….and this year is my favorite I have done in a long time.

The reason why I decorate early is because I have a retail store and it must be decorated before Thanksgiving and I always host Thanksgiving and then work Black Friday and Super Saturday….I also make homemade cookies for the store and make sure to have gifts for my staff etc….so if the house isn’t decorated before Thanksgiving …I am exhausted.

It took me years to do this…because I am a people pleaser, I would wait and then I was completely overwhelmed and absolutely hated the holidays…because I was simply exhausted.

I now buy meals to be delivered to my home that are easy to bake…I hire my daughter to make cookies….I hire people to cater the Christmas dinner for my staff….

This allows me to remain sane and to be able to concentrate on what matters…my family, my store, my staff and my customers…and that means everything.

Someday, when I no longer own a retail store…I look forward to being able to decorate the day after Thanksgiving. I look forward to going and experiencing the holidays…but for now those of us who work retail will tell you…we listen to Christmas music at the store…and silence on the way home.

I honestly wish the lights were already up because before Thanksgiving, is when I have time…but alas that is not too be.

For now…I am grateful my store is decorated and my house is as well.

Be patient with people who decorate early….i assure you…there is a reason!