Holidays

I must agree with Gale. I really hate Halloween. (Sorry to those of you who dress up and decorate extensively!) It just feels evil, not fun to me. Why would I invite goblins and witches into my house?? This morning, the first thing I did when the sum came up was to put my ceramic pumpkin away for another year, fold up my little pumpkin scarecrow, and put away the other scarecrow. Then my two feet tall wooden Pilgrims went on my front porch in place of the little wooden ghost, pumpkin and black cat. All the rest of my decoration are simply fall themed so they are good. Then my ceramic pilgrim figures came out from their hiding place and a cornucopia appeared with a wooden block that says "Give Thanks." I'm good for one month! The first of December all of that goes away and my red poinsettias brighten my front porch, and we decorate all the trees and bushes in the front yard and the house. Lights everywhere! I love Christmas! I love Christmas lights! And I especially love Christmas music! Sometime in the first week of December, I manage to convince my husband it really is time to put up the tree so we'll have time to enjoy it before we have to take it down. We always do it together - as far as the lights. If he hasn't yet put lights up outside, he'll escape to do that while I start unloading what seems like hundreds of blue and silver balls and ornaments and hanging them just right on the tree. I'm sure you remember doing icicles - thankfully I don't do that anymore, but it was beautiful. The first weekend in December we have our annual tri-stake Christmas Creche Festival - going on 15 years now! I've participated every year except the year we were in Armenia and a couple when we were traveling. This year, (as last) I'm only taking my foreign nativities - the ones that are different from most. As it is, putting up those 60 sets takes me at least 3 hours spread all over about 4 tables. But it is worth it. People from all over the valley come and oohh and aahh over the beautiful symbols of Christ's birth. From noon till 8:00 on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday there are musical groups from the local schools and churches, as well as solos and musical instruments of all kinds. Even Hawaiian dancers! The place is decorated to the nines...Christmas trees and glittering lights everywhere and hundreds of poinsettias that the ward members buy, leave for decoration and pick up to take home at the end of the festival. On Sunday night,a Hallelujah sing-along fills the chapel area with music lovers from all faiths joining in. It is glorious!! (I do display all 100 plus of my collection in our home, emptying bookcases, end tables, coffee tables and the buffet to show them.) Now how can you compare Halloween to that!!