I’ve just turned on my television and I am inundated with Christmas deals. I open my email and just because the holiday season is upon us it says I can have something to be thankful for; 25% off, 30%, 35%, BOGO+50% off my second item, and even just plain BOGO- I can literally “Shop Till I Drop”. Don’t get me wrong I love the meaning of Christmas; you know chilling with friends and family, but I just don’t get the feeling that this is it!

Even as I travel down the windy roads in my neighborhood I marvel at the beauty of the area, the pumpkins set out by the doors, the haystacks I see settled in one yard, and a couple of fall displays on some of the mailboxes. This neighborhood is truly suburbia on steroids. If anyone has ever seen the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” Clark Griswold sets out to put on the ultimate Christmas display, that’s my neighborhood! There’s a beautiful Christmas tree with a huge adorning Santa in the window of one house and then there’s the “Griswold’s Yard”. It should have its own zip code, where do they store all that “STUFF”!  There’s lights, there’s reindeer, massive candy canes, a freaking snow globe, music (who can’t tolerate 24-7 Christmas carols-Bah Humbug), a life-size snowman, and you know a giant Santa is the star of the yard. My problem is not the display but that it was there a full 10 days before Thanksgiving arrived. It’s all a bit confusing! My head is STILL hung low in holiday shame because my bland, unlighted, undecorated home is so not Christmas display worthy. Was there a memo or email sent to the community about skipping Thanksgiving and going directly to Christmas that I didn’t receive? Note To Self: Complain to the homeowners association! READ MORE

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