A 23-year tradition
Forty Days of Christmas
Forty Days of Christmas. Begin November 16. End December 26. Twenty-three years running and counting. The rules are simple, the joy is enormous, and the punctuality of the ending is non-negotiable.
The rules
November 16
Tree up. Lights up. Movies start. Mariah arrives, on schedule. The house gets festive overnight.
November 16 → December 25
Every Christmas movie, every Christmas song, every glass of nog. No moderation. The season exists to be enjoyed.
December 26
Every ornament boxed. Every light coiled. By bedtime, the house is back to itself. The new year begins clean, the day after Christmas. No drift, no slump, no half-lit January tree.
Why I do it
Most people start Christmas around Thanksgiving and then drag it into January. I'd rather start a little earlier, mean every minute of it, and then end it the second it's done. Joy has a half-life. Don't waste yours on a dry tree.