Christmas Time IS Coming!!

Okay, so I know it's not Thanksgiving yet, but I'm so excited about Christmas!  I feel like it's so close that I'm almost out of time already!  When I was growing up, my dad refused to have any type of Christmas celebration until Thanksgiving was over.  Now, he's no Scrooge, but we didn't put up the tree or listen to Christmas music until November was almost over.  I've tried to continue this tradition since getting my own home, but I just can't help myself.  It's such a happy time of the year.  It's so short that I want to start celebrating as early as possible.  I'm not one of those people who can leave their tree up until after New Year's.  On December 26 (or very soon thereafter) I'm ready to take it down.  It has lost all of  its magic for me.  The lights don't shine as bright, and it just looks forlorn with no presents underneath.  Yes, for me Christmas is absolutely over at midnight on Christmas Day, so in order to celebrate the season of "peace on earth, good will to men" I need to start as early as possible.  I actually found myself listening to a Christmas CD in my car today, and checking to see if Sirius/XM Radio had put any of their Christmas channels on yet.  Sadly, they have not.
Don't get me wrong.  I love Thanksgiving.  I love the time spent with my family.  I LOVE to eat, so it's the perfect holiday for me.  Sometimes, though, Thanksgiving is just like a prelude to Christmas.  It's like the party that heralds the season.  When Thanksgiving ends life becomes a blur of parties, cookies, gifts, carols and lights. 
I'm already making lists--and checking them twice, of course--to plan what to buy for who, what kind of cookies to bake for my annual cookie party and what to put on the party menu for Billy's Sunday School class party.  I'm ready to put up the tree, set up the nativity and replace my everyday decorations with snowmen, angels and candles.  I feel like I'm already getting caught up in the whirlwind that is the Christmas season, but I love every minute of it.
This year has a new excitement as we pick out gifts to buy for Jaxon for his first Christmas.  I know that he won't remember it, or even understand what's happening, but I will, and I can't wait to share the whole experience with him.
Right now the leaves on the trees are bright orange, yellow and red, and they are beautiful.  Fall is my favorite season, so I can't wish it away.  I think my Christmas decorations would look a little out of place with all the pumpkins and mums still floating around the neighborhood.  As soon as those trees outside are bare, though,  I'm pulling out the evergreen, people!  Let's get this season rolling!