traditions...

I'm not a traditionally traditional person... I decided very early in my life that it was not for me... Had I not, I would still be living in the small town I grow up, possibly next to (or above of...) my mother's place, would have gotten a post as a civil servant in the town (probably by means of connections...) and I would be married and have two kids by now... None of this applies to me though it is the traditional path a woman follows were I come from... Studies are ok as long as tradition is followed afterward... I chose a different path, I do not remember to call people when it is their name day, I do not feel particularly fond of guts of lamb on a spit  for Easter, I do not fast when everyone does (not even on the last day of the carnival...) and I do not like traditional dances... at all!!

But, especially after I came to live in The Netherlands, I created my own little traditions... little quirky things I like to repeat... like wearing a new something (clothes, shoes -mostly- or jewelery) for New Year's Eve so that the new year finds me with something new on, or buying me a present for my birthday so that even if I don't get any more, I still got one gift for the day... this type of things with the most important one of them being the "it's Christmas time" day! (which usually falls on the weekend right before the 1st of December or on, it depending of the calendar)

Now, I have already explained the importance of Christmas for me and how strongly I believe that the feeling of being Christmas time it's better than shoes... so you can all imaging that "it's Christmas time" day is equally important and equally better than shoes!!! And it is today!!! Early morning I got the tree out of it's box, got totally covered in dust and memo-ed me to clean the storage room... eventually. Then, I put it up, which usually takes about an hours (yes, only for that an hour...) as it is very big and with lots of branches and bits and pieces. Then I put on the lights and the ornaments and then the top piece... and then I sat down and took pictures... many pictures! After a quick shower (there had been a lot of dust...) I made a quick lunch and with a glass of wine I wished to myself to be well and do it next year too! And then, I got comfy on the sofa and watched "Love actually..."!!! The "it's Christmas time" day is not complete unless the decoration of the Christmas tree is followed by the definitive Christmas movie!!! And all this I do every year since I got the film... and if it is not that it will be another equally Christmas-y film to complete the day... before I fall asleep on the sofa (which happens much more often than "it's Christmas time" day I must confess...)

So this is my small, personal tradition, one I look forward to and which is leaving me every year feeling like a million euros and certainly better than a new pair of shoes would make me feel :) As I know both feelings, I can say that in confidence! :)

PS. Yes, my tree comes out of a box... and yes, it is by no means better than a real one... but who could ever get a real one this early??? ;)