Happy Holidays!

I feel like I have not slept at all. There was the biggest thunder and lightning storm last night. Seriously, it lasted two hours. At 3.00am I finally got up and had a look outside at it. Then I had a drink and tried to get back to sleep. This is normally not a problem for me, I could sleep anywhere, anytime on anything. But last night I could not get back to sleep. I think it was something to do with having the words to ‘My Favourite Things’ going round in my head and wondering how you would make play clothes out of my Venetian blinds.

Anyway, it is officially Christmas now in America. Thanksgiving kind of serves as a brake on the festivities, but now that it’s over, Christmas has come. You can look at it one of two ways. Firstly, it is good that Christmas doesn’t start until late November, unlike at home when it starts late October/early November. Or secondly, the pressure builds up so much that once Thanksgiving comes you are just bombarded with adverts, Christmas music and the like.

Here are some of the Christmas things I have seen recently:


This is the little hut thing outside my office window. It took TEN people all afternoon to put up these decorations.


These are the very first things you see in my local Wal Mart. Seriously what's the deal with these waistcoat things? And reindeers skiing? What says 'Christmas' better than reindeers skiing?!


Christmas trees are on sale everywhere, even at Roma's church. I like real trees. I will gladly suffer pine needles dropping because they are the best.


This is the Nativity scene on display in work, our sole decorations! I think it might win the Dullest Nativity Scene Ever Award!

The Christian radio station that I listen to (106.9 The Light WMIT which is said at least four times in every break in the music. You’d think they’d come up with a shorter name) must have played through ‘Wow Christmas’ forty times over the weekend. The playlist is now totally Christmas music. It’s not even December yet!

With adverts there is no product that is left out of the Christmas market potential. At the weekend I saw an advert for Christmas scented (I imagine pine trees and cinnamon) Glade candles with pictures of Olde England in the snow on them.

Tonight I think I’m going to go into Asheville to start my Christmas shopping. This has more to do with it being pay-day today and that I’m going to Jose’s this weekend than the holiday spirit taking hold. I’ll let you know if I get myself one of those candles. I doubt it somehow, but the Christmas music in the mall might take over me.