Christmas: Then and Now

As the snow drifts softy outside my window and NSYNC's Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays (you gotta watch their music video for this, by the way--90's nostalgia at its finest, a Gary Coleman appearance, and bleached blonde babes) comes on my itunes Christmas playlist, I can't help but be taken back to my childhood and teenage years of Christmas at the Saylor house. However, things over the years have changed, and as I prepare to spend this Christmas as a 'kid' for the last time so to speak, I started thinking about the other Christmas things that have evolved as I have grown...

Christmas Eve
THEN: Before the term "all-nighter" was in our vocabulary, my sister and I stayed up ALL NIGHT talking, looking at old photo albums, reading, and singing. Since we weren't allowed downstairs until 7am, we'd sneak out of our rooms to grab our stockings around 5, trying to make opening them somehow last two hours. Which never happened.
NOW: Staying up, overindulging on mom's cookies and poppyseed roll, and watching the 24 hour A Christmas Story marathon. Trying to see how long it's possible to sleep in as to not make gift opening stretch past 4 pm. And despite waking up at 10am, consuming copious amounts of coffee throughout the day.

Gifts
THEN: Longing for an Easy Bake Oven, and being completely devastated when I found that heat from a light bulb will not produce the delicious treats I saw on the commercial.

NOW: Having a whole new appreciation for a home cooked meal and stocking up on leftovers to bring back to college.

THEN: Who wants money and clothes for Christmas? BO-RING.
NOW: Who wants money and clothes for Christmas? THIS GIRL.

Winter Fun
THEN:Snow days, where the day was spent out in the snow instead of school.
NOW: Snowy days, where the day is spent in school or work instead of in the snow. Not that the snow is particularly inviting. Oh, the memories of snowballs in the face...

Music
THEN: Boy bands releasing sub-par holiday albums that occasionally carried the smash hit (see exhibit A, NSYNC.)

NOW:  Three words: Glee Christmas Album.

THINGS THAT HAVEN'T CHANGED (AND NEVER WILL!)

The classic Hershey Kiss Christmas commercial

The bliss of biting into a warm peanut butter blossom cookie

No matter how sick you may be of it, the depression that goes with all the radio stations switching back over to secular music as soon as the clock strikes midnight on Christmas Day

Knowing all the of the words to the songs in White Christmas and singing along every time without shame.

Forever having an excuse to buy a new red dress for the holiday party season.

Saying I'll get all my Christmas shopping done on Black Friday, yet still finding myself scrambling around the mall on December 24th.

As we plunge into the Christmas season full speed ahead, I hope that this holiday finds you all in happiness and good health. I can't wait to blog about Christmasy crafts, keep you up to date on the weddin' plannin', and hopefully make some thrifty excursions here and there.

In other news....how cute would these as wedding favors be? I'm hoping to try them out at some point soon.

Looooove and all things Christmas,
Bren