Sneaking Christmas

Many are the ways of sneaking Christmas. It is heralded by some, booed by others. For the critical media, it’s something called Christmas Creep and they drag it out every year.

Right after Christmas-in-July is over the stories start to pop-up of Christmas trees for sale at Costco and how horrid that is.

But the Christmas creep the media complains about is only made possible by those who hold Christmas dear.

For the Christmas faithful recognizing, anticipating and celebrating Christmas long before December is a time-cherished tradition. And frankly, we don’t really care who doesn’t like it.

That’s because Christmas is more than just a day.

It’s not even about Santa, lights, stockings and tinsel. Christmas isn’t just a day off. It’s not the food, the gifts, the movies or the music. It’s not about anything commercial. And it is not about greed.

It’s about a feeling.

A good feeling. A wanted feeling. A necessary feeling. A sought after feeling. An anticipated feeling. A feeling of warmth, a feeling of peace, a feeling of togetherness, a feeling of love.

It is amazing how these feelings bring diverse people together.

And it is amazing how those critical of sneaking Christmas simply do not understand what it means and why it is necessary.

It comes from watching Christmas movies in the heat of summer in a darkened room. It comes from lighting candles, counting down the days and weeks, and in building anticipation for…joy.

It can be different things to different people.

For some, it’s just an aroma – something that might come from the kitchen or some seasonal element only available at certain times.

Why do you think pumpkin spice has become such a thing? It’s a harbinger of the good feelings to come. Part of it all.

Like celebrating the Ber months of September, October, November and December. There’s a common thread among each month and it’s all Christmas.

For others it comes from other kinds of mood-setters.

Like the warmth of a wooly sweater on a cool, rainy fall day.

For others it’s a stroll through stores stockpiling decorations, lights and knick-knacks. That’s not stuff to buy right now: that’s stuff to browse and dream about.

Labor Day in the United States, usually the first week of September, is definitely a trigger.

That is a time when it is “okay” to actually, maybe, in the right company to even whisper the word Christmas.

The more militant among us get still snarky about it sometimes.

They will insist that no Christmas music is played before Thanksgiving. They complain about eggnog before Halloween or “pre-mature” decorations in office cubicles.

But those of us who sneak Christmas are not deterred.

Unlike any other holiday Christmas is a season – a time of year and a repeated season of life.

We hold our traditions dear.

The tree is going to be more spectacular this year than last year. Everything old will be on it with something that is new.

The lights on the house are going to be brighter and better and more creative than ever before.

We can wait for gingerbread, candy canes and Grandma’s fudge.

We’re going to listen to every old song – many times, of course – and re-watch favorite old movies of Christmas, some of which are approaching almost 100 years old.

We’ll sneak it all in over time.

A little in September, a little more in October, and a lot more in early November.

Come Thanksgiving Day, the shackles come completely off. We sneak no more. It’s Christmas even though Christmas is still more than a month away.

Sneaking Christmas is as big a tradition as Christmas trees, sugar cookies, reindeer and mistletoe.

And we refuse to feel bad or apologize for it.

In fact, here’s a secret you may already know if you’re one to be bothered by Christmas outside of December: we kind of like the recognition by those who get their knickers in a twist over stuff that makes us feel good.

White Christmas on the radio bothers you? Ok. We’ll turn it up.

You don’t want the White Peppermint Cocoa in October? Ok, we’ll order it large and we’ll even order one for you and watch you sip it under furrowed brows.

Santa’s everywhere, mall decorations, hanging Christmas lights and buying Christmas stamps gets you all hot and bothered?

GOOD.

That’s part of Christmas too. Grinches, if you haven’t noticed, are equally celebrated as the other stuff. Same with Scrooge.

That’s because we know, deep down, and you might hate to ever admit it, you love Christmas.

You have to.

Granted, there are those with legitimate gripes about Christmas. Bad memories, terrible things that happened in a Christmas past, lost associations that can’t be recovered, etc. Yes, we recognize the heavy stuff of life also happens in December.

But Christmas cannot be hated only because it comes early, often or too soon for the surly among us.

Those who sneak Christmas only want what’s good about it. They only want the love.

So, in the coming weeks and months as the cries of Christmas creep surface in the media and on the news, just smile.

What they really mean is Merry Christmas.