and suddenly, it is merely winter.

What a let down. What a total bummer. Last night, when taking the puppy out for a wiz, I looked across the street and noticed the absence of my neighbour's Christmas light display. And it was quite a display. Three lit up reindeer, one which raised and lowered its head at the foot of a lit up tree, a guy in a sled pulled by more lit up reindeer taking off up a sheet of plywood (unlit plywood thankfully) and every bush strung up with white lights. The tall cedars were wrapped in lights that actually CHANGED COLOUR while you were looking at them. I thought I was going crazy (er) but yes they each did a different sequence. AND he had the two little trees beside the garage lit up, AND along the eavestroughs he had white and green lights. Now this may just sound tacky to you, but in his defense, it was actually quite nicely done. Nothing blinked enough to put you into a seizure. Nothing stupid looking, like the guy down the street who had what appeared to be a giant Weezer logo on the front of the house, not that I have any problem at all with Weezer, but you know, I don't know. Just not quite right.

So I look around, and realize that 90% of the old Christmas decorating spirit has been sucked out of my neighbourhood. As usual, I did what I do when I realize for the hundredth time that I live in an actual townie neighbourhood: suppressed the retch and fought the urge to run screaming. Then the disappointment sank in. It's over. It's really over. Retailers had us all horned up for Christmas since before Halloween but they've made their profit and moved on. All of the normal, nice, clean and organized suburbanites have efficiently packed up their Christmas stuff into their colour co-ordinated trunks. Everything is biege again.

Dear readers, I am not a seasonal decorator. I have a hard time getting the dishes washed. But this huge build up/let down routine bugs me. Maybe I want to see white star lights in my bay window until March. I could use the cheering up on a dark cold night. Also, I'm lazy and can't be bothered to take them down or even unplug them, and can't find my colour co-ordinated trunk.

I wonder about the parallels to the situation that started this whole decorating craze...you know, some teenage girl had a baby and it was a big deal. Everybody is so excited about the upcoming blessed event, the big day, the due date. Today is the day that the Wise Guys showed up to get a peek at the baby. I think that was nice of them. They brought stuff, which was nice. I hope they brought a nice hot meal too because you sure don't feel like cooking when you've got a newborn. And then I think, so, after that, then waht? No doubt, she was on her own, the husband had to go back to work, she's got no relatives nearby, and to just amp up the pressure a little, that baby is, you know, the son of GOD. And still messed his swaddling clothes and needed to be fed every two hours. Huge drag of a let down.

So typical. We so easily forget.

I have done the Happy new year thing many times already in the past week, but I just want to add to it: Don't forget! We all felt all warm and peaceful and fuzzy a couple of weeks ago, ok well most of us, some were just drunk, haha. I want to remember the hope. I have to because otherwise, I'm just another stressed out nobody trying to push my way through a day. Remember the hope. And if you know a young woman, or heck a middle aged woman with a baby, let's not leave anyone out, ask her what she'd like for dinner tonight and take it over to her house. She'll appreciate it!