Christmas in July, some really random thoughts...

It's raining today, and that means I can't work outdoors, the rest is  good for my tired bones, and the chance to do some serious daydreaming.   Or TV watching, and it's the Christmas in July event on the shopping channel!  It isn't that long until the snow will be in the air and i will be spending my time feeding the furnace.  No I don't really need reminded of that.  But Christmas, that could be different, the bright lights and carols and the cookies.

Somehow the raging heat and humidity of July seem to make the ice and snow of winter look appealing, the warm glow of an old farm house lit for Christmas, set in a snowy field , with icicles hanging from the eves and smoke curling from the chimney.  Add to that the  candles glowing in the windows, in fact candles in the windows at any time of year, have come to symbolise the warmth and security of home and hearth.  I have heard it said that a candle in the window makes the house feel warmer and less empty when you arrive home on those dark winter evenings, my house is usually overcrowded.   You understand,dear reader, that these are battery operated candles, not the real flame and wax and set the house ablaze type, and I am sorely tempted, because those long,cold winter nights loose their charm after awhile, and I like the way they look.  And while they are at it, they could make one that smelled like really good fruitcake, brimming with rum. Good rum never looses it's charm.

There are cards  in the mailbox, and a box of cards needing to be addressed on the kitchen counter.   The lights need to be hung, and the tree put up.  But no matter because those things are really months away, and of course they will all be left until the the possible moment, rushing around  is part of the tradition. 

A tree? a pre-lit tree that snaps together in three easy steps, well what do you do it some bulbs burn out?  And since you can't take it apart again, where does one store a 12 foot pre-lit artificial guaranteed never to shed balsam? Especially if you also leave it decorated.

Christmas, it is the magic and the anticipation we knew well as children and then again through our children and grandchildren.  Dickens said in "A Christmas Carol" something about keeping Christmas in your heart always, and some of us do.  It feels good, and it is good to let your imagination wander  over what the "perfect"
 Christmas would be like, what memories you would like to make and the ones you would like to leave others with.  It really just might be a whole lot more than it appears, may-be there will always be the hopes and anticipation of a child on Christmas eve somewhere in our heart, and is that such a bad thing?  

It really doesn't matter. I tell myself , that this is all designed to sell stuff, stuff i don't need, it has nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas, it was just an idea originally cooked up by some shopkeeper who had a bunch of old merchandise and needed and idea to sell it fast.   Or is the true meaning of Christmas to have a happy and grateful heart and to see the world in hope and anticipation. Whatever the calendar says.