One tiny microscopic virus is not going to rob me of the joy of Christmas. No how, no way. I know my rights as an American.
I refuse to skip my Christmas festivities.
But you know what?
I am going to postpone them.
My husband and I aren’t putting up a tree this year. Without any family or friends around to see them, why drag the boxes of ornaments out of the attic? Why move the furniture and untangle the lights? Everything can just stay all snug in the attic for now.
Instead of hanging lights and baking cookies, this year I’m spending my time planning. I’m making lists of names, designing decorations, planning a menu.
Because next summer, I am going to throw the biggest freakin’ party in the history of parties. Not since Bilbo Baggins threw his big eleventy-first birthday party has there been such an outrageously festive event.
I plan to have this event somewhere outdoors, just so everyone can fit. But there will be an indoor venue there, too, because it’s been way too long since we’ve been able to gather indoors and be all squashed together.
My giant celebration will include the introduction of my newest grandchild, little Max, because so many of our family and friends have yet to meet him. It will also be a birthday party, because he’ll have turned one year old in April. And while we’re giving gifts and eating cake, we’ll also celebrate the birthdays of Max’s older siblings, his parents, his grandfathers and grandmothers and all of his aunts and uncles.
The day will include a fabulous wedding, too, since my son and his partner had to postpone their plans for last August. We’ll have tons of champagne, piles of appetizers and live music by every band we haven’t been able to see in the past year. There’ll be toasts, and dancing and reunions of old friends along with the exchanging of vows.
The main food of the day will be turkey with all the trimmings. I mean the whole shebang; stuffing, dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans and squash and fifteen kinds of pie. I can hardly wait to start cooking!
To set the mood for the day, there will be lots of sparkling decorations all over the venue. We’ll choose a place with some nice big pine trees, and we’ll wrap some of them in colored lights and hang red, green and gold balls on them. Maybe everyone will bring a gift to swap!!!
Every fifteen minutes, a bell will ring, and everyone will hug the person next to them. The hugs will be long and fervent and filled with affection and joy. People will kiss each other on the cheeks, or even on the lips, if you can imagine such a thing. There will be a lot of shouting and laughing while large groups of guests stand less than two feet from each other.
At least ten times during the party, everyone will throw an arm around someone’s shoulder while we all sing loudly. This will happen mostly in the indoor part of the event space, of course, so that we can achieve maximum mingling of breath.
And just to make the party a truly exciting and unique event, I’m going to ask everyone who attends to wear a costume and carry around a plastic pumpkin! Oooh, I have a great idea…..I’ll give out little candy bars as wedding favors!
At midnight, fireworks will be sent into the night sky and everyone will clap, cheer, wave various and sundry flags and shout “Happy New World!”
Naturally, before the party winds down near dawn, everyone will go out into the grassy field next to the giant dance floor/stage. As the sun rises, all of the kids will hunt for colored eggs and hidden candy. Then we’ll all have a big brunch on the lawn.
I can’t wait.
I’m thinking of calling it “Postpone-a-palooza.”
You want to come?
Empty Nest, Full Life 
I’ll be there.
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You’re on the list!!!!
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IM INVITED RIGHT?! this sounds glorious.
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Of COURSE! Work on your costume!
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I’d love to come! And I’m planning a summer blockbuster party too but…I’m not sure that the USA is as prepared to disseminate this vaccine as we all believe it is. President T. is partying and trying to hold onto power and I believe he is also trying to gum up the works for the President-elect to make it near impossible for him to be successful with the vaccine. And of course he’ll blame it all on P.E. Biden and Hillary and Obama etc. as he ramps up his campaign to be re-elected in 4 years. Anyway, I hope your dreams come true quicker than my nightmares! Keep the faith and Merry Christmas!
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I’m being hopeful; I believe the orange menace has become irrelevant, and that those who secretly hate him will do the right thing. Even if I have to wait longer than August, this party WILL HAPPEN.
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Sounds fantastic! Iām going to teleport over from Australia with a couple of friendly koala bears, & really get the party going š
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Yes, please!!!!!
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Well this sounds like a boatload of fun! I look so forward to the day when we can once again immerse ourselves in hugs!
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Oh, me, too……
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Your celebration plans sound wonderful, and I hope that everything works out that way! I live alone, but I’ve put up my small tree and decoration, just for me, because it’s Christmas and this helps me remember years gone by. I remember being disappointed and a bit sad when my parents told me one year they weren’t putting up a tree. I wanted them to be happy just with themselves even if no one was making it down to their winter place in FL that year to visit. I went to visit them for the holidays the very next year…
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I know what you mean, truly. But somehow not setting up our tree this year helps me to think that I am not missing out; I am just postponing a bit. Honestly, we have lots of decorations around the house because I love the holidays. But there is something empowering for me in not doing the very same rituals this year.
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I can understand that; we each need a way to feel empowered this year:)
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I still find it magical to come down on Christmas morning and turn on the tree lights. I hauled the ornaments out of the attic and wrapped up some of them for my daughter to put on her tree. Forty nine years of ornaments can decorate several trees. The wreath is on the front door and the lights went on the bushes out front today. The tree comes in tomorrow before the rain and snow. Decorating the tree may end up being a week (or more) operation, but usually I am running around like a fiend trying to get the house ready for company, so I am going to savor the experience The year without a tree will come but not yet.
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I understand! I have done all of the special “little kid” decorations indoors this year, and even have some outside lights. But the not-setting-up of the tree has given me a sense of empowerment and freedom from sadness that I really need this year.
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We’re in – heck we’ll be helping with the decorating!
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You are at the tippety top of the list, my friend!
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