My house celebrates two seasons right now. Outside the lights celebrate the Christmas season. Inside the tablecloths and wreaths still say Thanksgiving. Outside one needs sunglasses passing by. Inside the quiet, mellow autumnal colors still cover the walls. Christmas always comes from the outside in.
People who walk or drive by often stop to enjoy the lights. While I wouldn't call our display excessive (I supposed excessive is in the eye of the beholder), we always have the most lights on the street. I love the lights; they help to keep away the darkness of the shortening days. I always feel that Christmas lights are a gift that you give your neighbors and a gift you give yourself. I'm sure that people stopping by assume an equally ornate interior, but it's not. Christmas comes from the outside in.
Next weekend a few things will show up inside, a garland, a figurine, cookies, but not everything. Christmas decorations grow as the days pass. The lights glow brighter, the beloved heirlooms, each with its own story, the nutcrackers, the Santas, the Nativities. Each day celebrates a new revelation or a familiar friend. Christmas comes from the outside in.
Finally, and with only days to go, the tree rises as the culmination of the month of decoration. The house glows and glitters as much as the yard.
Christmas comes from the outside in.
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Truth! Just as we light 1 candle a week during Advent. As my husband and I are both teachers, our decorating is similar. Time is the biggest reason we don’t have all our decorations up. Plus, my husband’s family tradition is to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve. At first I didn’t like it. But I have grown to love it. It has given our family a chance to slow down and be together as a family and decorate.