Christmas time is...near

This year, the holiday season has caught me up in its hands much earlier than usual. I’ve always scorned the idea of "overlapping holidays" as I call it, and would never start seriously thinking Christmas until after Thanksgiving. That meant no Christmas music, and very little if any gift preparation.

This year is different, somehow. Perhaps it is the fact that the weather has taken a colder turn, and has flirted with the idea of snow once or twice. The sky is that dim November iron today, the color that lets everyone know that the orange and yellow season of fall has passed into the browns and grays.

And now I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, to the silky sounds of Diana Krall. On my headphones, though, so no one else in the office is forced into a too-early inundation of Christmas carols. Don’t worry; I’m not wearing a sweatshirt decorated with miniature jingle bells (and God willing, I never will).

Perhaps this premature jaunt is because I’ve started my Christmas gifts earlier this year. Now that I’m flying out to visit the fam in Washington state for the holiday, I need everything done early—no spending the entire Christmas-Eve-Day finishing things up and doing all of my wrapping. And no long days of winter vacation in which to make my gifts. I need to fit it into nights and weekends around the regular bustle of life.

Yes, I said "make" my gifts. Welcome to the joy and beauty of the Spoolstra family Christmas. Perhaps I am a bit too burst-my-buttons proud of this tradition, but whenever I see or hear about people rushing around trying to buy this and that and stay within the budget and not get anyone the same thing they got last year and does uncle Jim like gift cards to Radio Shack or was it Circuit City…well, I feel pretty good about myself. Instead of spending hours fighting the crowds and racking up a credit card balance, I’m relaxing at home with my sewing machine—or happily up to my elbows in the fabric store bargain bin—creating simple, inexpensive gifts that show my family I am willing to give them the gift of time and the labors of my hands and brain—not just my pocketbook.

This began when I was old enough to actually contribute something both homemade and worthwhile—around sixth grade, I think. I’m the youngest of three, and as we started to grow up, our parents realized that Christmases around our house were getting…well…ridiculous. I still think the 14-foot trees were out-a-sight, but I highly agree that allowing Christmas to get materialistic is a grave mistake.

I remember being excited about the switchover. Strangely enough. My parents eased us into it by still giving us wonderfully stuffed stockings and one "big" store bought present for the first few years. And it definitely helped that my family is also ridiculously crafty (both meanings? hmm…) and creative. One year my dad made all three of us hope chests. And my mom is the super champ of fluffy flannel pajamas.

My own gifts have come a long way in the last decade or so—a fact for which I am sure the family is grateful. I’ve really progressed since getting my own sewing machine a few years ago. Lumpy crocheted scarves and glue-laden wooden picture frames that almost stood up have turned into clever microwavable mittens and (once, because I was temporarily insane and also because I found the perfect fabric) fitted three-quarter-length overcoats with detachable fur cuffs and collar.

You know, I had a point when I began writing this. I’m not sure what it was. I got caught up in thinking about Christmas and totally lost my way. Perhaps I’m just trying to convey something of the swell of happiness and anticipation that I feel when I launch out into the holiday season. Perhaps part of what I feel is best summed up by explaining this family tradition and letting you connect the dots yourself. Yes. I like that. The end.