Not long until Halloween now!

Once Thanksgiving is behind us, Halloween is right around the corner. It's never been a big holiday to us... meaning Larry & I but neither was it in my family of origin. Sure I went out "trick or treating" as a little kid, but my parents never decorated up the house. One of the blogs I read has been talking about Halloween traditions. It seems like you are either skirting the fringes with this holiday or else you are all in. There's really no middle ground on this one. Whenever we are in the US for the holiday, I am reminded that there are some very big differences in how we celebrate the holidays.

I was talking to the SPG telephone representative on the weekend about differences between and American and a Canadian Thanksgiving celebrations... they are huge! Sure the turkey is probably the same, but the side dishes certainly are not and nor are the sweet desserts. We also don't decorate our homes for the Christmas season starting at our Thanksgiving - so the decor is also entirely different. If we decorate at all for Thanksgiving, it is all about the harvest. Last year in Palm Desert we watched fresh poinsettias just flying out of Costco in 2's and 4's just days before their day of celebration. The Christmas trees are up and the exterior lighting begins. Perhaps the biggest difference is that Christmas is the huge holiday here in Canada, whereas for the Americans it's all about Thanksgiving. Christmas is kind of a small footnote to their holiday season.

I think I like their method far more. Christmas is just too commercial for me, we seem to have completely sidestepped the real reason for the season. The ideas of home, friends and family with immense gratitude for all that we have received is far more in keeping with my view of a holiday season. I used to look forward to singing at the Midnight Mass when I was with the choir at my parishes in Pointe Claire and then in Richmond. There's nothing like lifting your voice up to the Lord to feel the true meaning of Christmas! I may no longer serve on a choir, but that doesn't mean I don't praise him with song during the holidays.

Next year we'll be celebrating our Canadian Thanksgiving in Bellevue. It's all about the time I get to spend with Larry just to marvel at this amazing gift of a relationship we share, enjoying a nice meal or two & having gratitude for those edible treats, plus relaxing and going for some lovely fall walks...hand in hand - it simply doesn't get any better! I love going for a walk along the water in Kirkland, by the lake in Seattle or out at the falls in Snohomish. If I want icing on my cake, we could squeeze a nice coffee/tea date into the mix. Talking, planning and just generally enjoying the start of our holiday season as it unfolds is magic to me! All it takes is a little time relaxing in those lovely leather seats at the Tully's in Mill Creek or even the Woods in Lynden. Maybe I feel the holiday season so strongly because we celebrate our wedding anniversary in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's just two solid months of joy and celebration, now that I finally have myself in a place where I choose the way I celebrate and celebrate I do.

I guess the marketing folks and greeting card companies have worked hard to make this a reality, but this is also a very reflective time of year for me. As seasons change and the year draws to a close, I realize how very lucky I am. I saw this picture and it brought a smile to my face. It is the little things that matter to me... it always has been. That isn't to say I wish to starve, freezing in the dark. It just means what warms my heart and brings me the happiness, that was my personal mission in life right from childhood, is the "little things". I cherish my time with Larry but I also find peace in my quiet time. You know that expression, be still my heart? Finally it is! It's where I differ so much from the rest of my family. I wish each of them would find this incredible inner contentment - it's such a gift!