Seasonally Confused??

I have been off the radar a little bit, and I can't really explain why. Sure, life is always busy for young families with children...keeping track of their school lives and extra-curricular activities. I have also been working on a couple of projects both for myself and a client, and I have been making a concerted effort to reconnect with friends I haven't seen in weeks or (in some cases) months. But I think what has kept me away from here is what my son summed up in two distinct words last night...

Both of our sons are on the varsity basketball team for their school, and were at their inaugural practice of the year last evening. As they noisily piled in the mudroom door upon their return, I could hear them laughing with their father and mumblings of Mum, and Christmas, and a few other bits I could not decipher. Happy to enlighten me with what was making them laugh, my eldest blurted out that they had decided that I was, "seasonally confused" because of the view into my living room window:
What the heck....?? A little taken aback by their use of the uncommon term, I initially was indignant and somewhat confused. Of course, they always enjoy when I become rankled, so they continued heckling me, asking why I have a Christmas tree in October. Never mind that said tree is black with orange lights, and is quite obviously more festivus than festive, they have continued to dub it "Mum's Halloween Christmas Tree", and they think it is pretty weird.

Could they be right? Am I seasonally confused? And no, it is not the tree that is evidence of that, but more likely the fact that I have been indeed daydreaming of Christmas. In fact, I have picked up considerably more Christmas decorations than is proper for this time of year. I have also been making lists of proposed Christmas gifts and scanning the flyers for signs of deals. Perfectly normal, some would say, except that until today, I had no Halloween decorations up, and not a stick of candy bought for the scores of trick-or-treaters that tend to land at our doorstep.

Too busy? No time? Not enough decorations? No, no, and no. Truth is, I had checked out of Halloween - moved on to bigger and better things (Christmas) and was in fact living in the future instead of the moment. I have always loved Halloween and its childish fun. I have always thrown my heart into decorating, for me and for my kids (at least when they were young enough to appreciate it). I wanted to eke out as much magic as I possibly could from this holiday, as I firmly believe that every and all holidays are a built-in break from the sometimes mundane and often routine nature of our lives. Whether they have spiritual meaning, or are simply meant to gather us together in the name of fun: holidays are gifts. They remind us to slow down and remember what is important, and how much fun it can be to simply enjoy the moments that make up the holiday.

So I'm back - back here and back to the present. I will still make mental lists in my head of all the things that need attention for the biggest of holidays, but I will also focus on costumes, candy, pumpkin people and at least one person who still gets a thrill out of this fun, whimsical holiday:

Why should she miss out on having a spirited, silly mother??

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Don't forget to check out the pumpkin decorating contest (co-sponsored by Ki Nassauer). It is almost the weekend, and the odds are really great that if you even attempt to junk up a pumpkin, you'll be shopping over at Ki's great site...just in time for the holidays!! Go here for all the details!!