Christmas is officially here: Let the fun begin. I’ve patiently waited all year and I am ready for the magic! I love Christmas. Almost everything about the Christmas season brings a smile to my face.
I had Thanksgiving dinner with family at my mom’s house yesterday for the first time in 10 years. The turkey had its moment and then Santa and Mrs. Claus made an appearance. We usually wait a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving for Santa and Mrs. Claus, but due to personal issues it was better to do it today.
So, now that Thanksgiving is over for me, bring on Christmas books, music, and movies. From now until Christmas night I will only read Christmas books, listen to Christmas music, and watch Christmas movies.
Once again, I am starting my “Christmas Read-A-Thon” with Letters From Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien. I begin with this particular book every year because I love how Tolkien made time to give his children a little extra magic to believe in every year. My Christmas Reading List will include a wide variety of genres. Everything from children’s stories to Rom-Coms to ghost stories. And yes, I will be re-reading several Christmas books once again this year. 
Did you ask about Christmas music? I must say that I prefer the music from the 1930’s thru the 1960’s. With that being the case, I am a Gen Xer, so I do appreciate original Christmas music from the 80’s and 90’s. Chances are, anything after that is probably not going to do it for me.
Now let’s talk about Christmas movies. I prefer the original Miracle on 34th Street. Give me George C. Scott in a Christmas Carol, but I do like several other versions of the story as well. Christmas cartoons are always appropriate, and no one should ever leave The Polar Express out of their Christmas movie repertoire.
I honestly don’t have the time or inclination to list every book, song, or movie I will include in my Christmas entertainment lists. But you can be assured I will always prefer the classics over the modern. The point is simply that Christmas has officially begun for me and I will be in that mode until Christmas night. I have waited all year for the magic of the season and I am going to get every bit of magic out of it that I can.
Do you have a Christmas reading list? A playlist just for this time of year? Do you wait until after the turkey has its moment, or do you start right after Halloween? There is no right or wrong answer, just a personal preference.