Thanksgiving Week

I gathered all my ceramic and glass pumpkins yesterday, along with a few signs and put them away until next year.  Every year, I pull all the fall decor right before Thanksgiving week.  This allows me to match the what's happening outside (we still have patches of snow on the ground).  

With so many people on social media, feeling the pull to decorate for Christmas early, I've been pondering why we feel that we must decorate for Thanksgiving with pumpkins and autumn leaf colors.  

Those are beautiful colors, and it makes for a nice tablescape, but just like it is perfectly okay to prepare roast beef, a vegetarian dish, or a pan of enchiladas for your Thanksgiving meal, I think its okay to have garlands and twinkle lights glowing for your decor.

After all, unless you live in the deep south, you've had bare trees, cold temperatures, and possibly snow already.  The glow of those twinkle lights are likely calling your name!

I tend to decorate with natural items - greens, berries and pinecones - and add in my twinkle lights and plaid ribbons, for Christmas.  

I saw this photo on Instagram yesterday.  I thought that the warm tones, the natural greens and candlelight would make a lovely Thanksgiving table.  We always have a buffet for the food, so I wouldn't have to worry about where the turkey will go.

Speaking of turkey,  here is the link to how I cook my turkey every year.  It's easy and wonderful, and there is nothing like waking up to the smell of that wonderful slow roasting turkey.  Perfect Everytime Turkey  The key is slow roasting!  Everyone really does rave over the turkey cooked this way.

For many of you sweet friends, your Thanksgiving is in October, or at another time of year, and you don't have the angst that happens here in the US about when its appropriate to decorate for Christmas.   

How many of you, from anywhere, have begun to decorate for Christmas?  I'll be honest, this week I'm bringing garlands and lights into some rooms, and I'm excited about it.  It makes the home warm and bright in these days when its dark early, and my whole family loves the glow.  I use nice faux garlands so there is no worry about them drying out.

Another reason I'm doing it is that this girl and I are having a big adventure next week, and I won't be around to decorate in the days after Thanksgiving, as I usually do.

                                             My fellow ENFP in the family, and I last night.

 We are going to the great state of Texas to visit dear friends!  While in Texas we are going on a road trip with my friend Amy, and her daughter Ally.  Ally and Sarah are good friends too, and the four of us are going to have a blast together!

 I've wanted to visit The Silos in Waco, and we get to see it decorated for Christmas!  Won't that be fun?  I'm planning on taking lots of photos, and look forward to this girls trip.  Our darlings grow up so fast and I've learned to savor the time with them while I can!

For me Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Season of Joy, and I choose to embrace it all as fully as I can.  I know that the holidays will be so difficult for those hurting and have suffered loss.  Joy doesn't have anything to do with being happy.  Joy is deeper.  It comes from knowing that in spite of circumstances, there is One who knows and holds us all in His loving arms.  He never leaves us nor forsakes us.  He is with us in our sorrows.  This season is a celebrating of His coming to be light to the world.

Happy Thanksgiving Week, friends!