Did you use your extra hour to get rid of extra crap after Halloween? Perhaps not, but there's still time before anyone shuns you because your pumpkins are still on the porch. But they ARE rotting now, so maybe head over to your compost bin and dispose.
About the beginning of November, we all start our heads spinning with worry over holiday budget, where Aunt Gladys will be spending Thanksgiving, and what we will wear to the office Christmas party (what DOES "holiday cheer" mean as a dress code??). Don't do this, people. Don't. Spending nearly 1/6 of your year all in a fuss over this shit that NO ONE will remember after January 1 is stupid. It just is.
My foursome likes to skip Thanksgiving. Not the hanging out together part, because it's great that the office is closed and my babies are off school, but the forced family and turkey part. We have found we are MUCH more thankful when we are just together, maybe at a ski lodge or even watching tons of football while eating chips and salsa. NOT turkey. Ick!?! There is a reason people don't cook these birds all year: they aren't that tasty, and the leftovers go on forever. Quiet the yam/sweet potato debate and skip it entirely. There are many ways to be thankful that don't involve fam-sanity.
Another post will discuss Black Friday shopping, as I can't even begin to think about it yet. It's also known as "Anti-Minimalism Day". Come celebrate with us.
Regarding Christmas, last year I read a suggestion on theminimalists about decreasing how many decorations you put out. We often feel pressure from the Griswolds to deck the halls and all that jazz, but think about all that sweat equity you expend that isn't earning you interest. You put a lot of your decor outside where you/your family doesn't see it. Does this make sense to you? (I do realize I am speaking as the wife of a man who bought a 13 foot Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man to display this Halloween.
What about the boxes and boxes of ornaments? Takes all your Thanksgiving break to set that tree up and then does anyone care about the ones facing the wall? Does anyone LOOK at them again before you take them off the tree December 26? Not judging here, just asking. I'm guessing probably not.
And here is one puzzler: "It's our tradition. We always do that, so we have to this year". The hell you do. If your family groans/eye rolls about your ice skating trip to the same pond 30 miles out of town because "we have gone every year since Trixie was a baby and we are going this year if I have to drag all of your skate-shod asses in the minivan!" -- I really recommend you skip that. It's not a good use of your limited time on the planet. "Making memories" is a myth. Don't try so hard. Memories happen. They happen just sitting around talking about that year the dog knocked the tree over and everyone stood in stunned silence wondering how long before Mom was going to lose her shit (Five... four.... three... two... ).
Ponder how you can reduce your holiday frenzy this year. The Christmas crap is already in the stores (I feel super sorry for all you retail folks who are forced at gunpoint to ignore Thanksgiving altogether), so you too can get a jump on how you'll deal with holiday cheer. Start small. Cut out some bullshit obligations and make room for some low key spending time with your family (or friends, if you don't like your family) with NO agenda or built-in traditions. I would wager that you'll make some memories right there.
Happy Fall, Minimalists!
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