It’s already day 24 of NaBloPoMo and the day before Thanksgiving. This means, of course, that it’s time to start thinking about our themes for the holiday. But first a quick update…
After I wrote this post about my least favorite Christmas songs, several people chimed in with their support of “Last Christmas,” Nicole was possibly the winner, saying that she has a playlist of all the different versions of the song by different artists. Well, with all the discussion about it, now I can’t get it out of my mind. Arg!
It reminds me of a story my mom told me years ago, about a friend of hers who actually needed some sort of therapy because she couldn’t get “It’s a Small World After All” from going through her mind incessantly. Even though I knew I shouldn’t laugh because it sounded like an actual mental health issue, I snickered a little over that. I hope, as a punishment for being so insensitive, I don’t end up in therapy because I can’t get “Last Christmas” out of my mind.
ANYWAY! Every year around this time I somehow convince my family to join my in choosing holiday themes for the year. I got this idea several years ago from Gretchen Rubin’s podcast, Happier. She’s big on choosing themes. In this case, we take a phrase from a holiday song to be our theme for the season. Three years ago my theme was “Joy to the World.” Two years ago it was “Joyful and Triumphant”- I was having a really good year.
My brother-in-law’s theme one year was “laughing all the way” and my son likes to make reference to the fact that we live in Florida- “all the way home I’ll be warm” and “roasting on an open fire” have been two of his.
Then- 2020, sigh. My sister’s theme was “In the bleak midwinter.” Not exactly cheery! I decided on a phrase from the “sad” version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”- “next year all our troubles will be out of sight” was my theme for 2020.
The problem is, I can’t seem to pick my theme this year. Usually something pops out at me, but not this time. I think it’s because I’m not sure how to feel about 2021. Is it better? Should I be joyful and triumphant? I can’t tell. You’d think with all the Christmas music I’ve been listening to in my car, something would have come to me.
I thought about, as a joke, choosing my theme from the lyrics of “Last Christmas” but it really doesn’t work. “What a fool I’ve been?” No, that doesn’t seem right… “Once bitten, and twice shy.” No. Not very Christmas-y.
Well, there’s still time! My goal is to pick my theme before NaBloPoMo ends. We’ll be decorating our tree on Friday, and my son has made a special playlist for the occasion- I’m hoping my theme will come to me then. In the meantime… I’m off to make pies!
Do you ever choose a “theme” for the holidays? Do it with me this year!
15 Responses
Never done this, but sign me up! What a fantastic idea.
One year, spurred on by Gretchen Rubin, I picked “Simplify” for my word-of-the-year. I posted it on the front of my daytimer but, have to be honest, I didn’t really reflect on it that much. A year felt like a long time to keep a running theme going. That said, I have tended more and more toward minimalism since that year, so maybe it impacted me at least subconsciously…
This holiday theme seems like the best of both worlds – it’s short, it’s fun/whimsical, it feels like there is less fodder to consider (if you’re drawing a theme from a Christmas carol/song). I can’t wait to hear what you end up selecting and I’ll share this idea at supper tonight and see what my little crew can brainstorm.
I got it! We received our first real dumping of snow today and I was…not enthusiastic. It’s messy and icy and cold. Also, the house renovations are stalled…again…because everything has to be done outside and this won’t work in rain/snow (all we’ve had lately).
But then I was driving (and slipping and sliding) down the hill to run errands and got to thinking about your song lyric/theme idea and decided this year it should be:
Let it snow AND Let it go (ala Frozen; a song I never need to hear again but does have a wintery vibe).
1. Let it snow – the kids are only young once and love the snow. Let it snow – we have winter tires and shovels and all the snow gear. Let it snow – this means the ski season will start sooner. Let it snow – it makes everything look beautiful and fairytale-like. Let it snow – it’s winter and that’s the way things are. Let it snow – because even if you keep telling yourself to not let it snow…the weather will do what it wants to do and it’s going to snow anyway. So just let it snow.
And then, after I “Let it snow,” I need to “Let it go.”
Let go of the clean floors which now get covered, daily, in wet footprints from damp socks inside winter boots.
Let go of trying to control when the renovations get completed.
Let go of the weather and the to-do list and just…enjoy the season.
So, temporarily at least, I’m going to try singing “Let it snow”, followed closely by my best Elsa impersonation of “Let it go.”
I LOVE IT!!! Gretchen Rubin would love it too. It’s definitely a theme you can carry with you during the whole holiday season. When my theme was ‘Joy to the World” I was conscious the whole month of bringing joy to people. If there was a choice to give a gift or not, I gave a gift. If I was leaving a tip, I would double it. Every time I had a chance to be generous I would think “Joy to the World.” You picked a theme that will shape your attitude to the season. Enjoy!!!
Oh good! I want to know what you decide on.
I have never done it but I know that my grandson is preparing something of similar in total secret!
We will decore our Christmas tree on Dec. 8th,.
Ha, sounds like your grandson and I would get along well!
I’ve never officially thought of a theme, but I love the lyric “Let your heart be light” and I always think of it at Christmas, so I’m going to go with that!
Last night I listened to the jazz version of Last Christmas, it is pretty fantastic.
A colleague of my husband’s once got stuck on the It’s A Small World ride at Disneyland. She was stuck for 45 minutes while they fixed the ride. 45 minutes of It’s A Small World. I’m not sure she ever fully recovered.
Okay, I MIGHT try the jazz version of Last Christmas- just out of curiosity.
I love your theme! Everyone is coming up with good themes except me! I better get on the ball. And, so funny about your husband’s colleague. I mean, not funny for her! That song is so monotonous, I think you would definitely be scarred for life after 45 minutes nonstop.
I have actually never heard of choosing a theme for the season but it sounds fun. And I wonder why I never came across it or have thought of it myself. I mean I do choose word of the year. I’ll listen more carefully and maybe I come up with one. I am curious what your will end up being. You had some good ones in the past.
In the past I felt like my themes were perfect for me at the time. This year I can’t seem to come up with one! But I will.
I have never chosen a theme either, but I love the idea… and now you got me thinking about what theme I’d pick for this year… mmmh.
I am curious if your 2021 theme will come to you in the next few days.
I hope it does! Everyone else is picking great themes and I’m still thinking about it.
What a wonderful idea! I love this. I’ve never chosen a theme for the holiday season, but I’m sure it would be such a fun way to really take in the magic of the season. I hope you’ve figured out your theme (sorry, I am so behind on blog reading!!).
That’s okay Stephany, i understand! It’s hard to keep up with it all. I fell behind this week as well, as soon as NaBloPoMo was over. I’m still working on my holiday theme actually!