"If you don't put your Christmas tree up in November, you're a Grinch."

I made a very controversial post on Instagram last week.

You see, it was the night before Halloween, and I was a little excited. Not because I enjoy taking my son trick or treating, but because of what I was planning to do – on the stroke of midnight – when we got home: I was planning to put up my Christmas tree.

Hi, I’m Nama, and I’m a rampant Christmasphile.

I firmly believe as soon as Halloween is over, it’s Christmas. So, I wrote in my post: “30th October, 9pm. Only 27 hours until I can put up the Christmas tree.”

It was met with rapturous applause – by the four people who agreed with me.

“Every time I think I can’t love you any more, you go and post something like this,” wrote one very intelligent woman.

And then my Christmas bestie commented, “I can’t wait to pull out my Xmas jumper!”

What’s a ‘Christmas bestie’, you ask?

View this post on Instagram

 

12:01am tomorrow. It’s the final countdown @alicerichardson25!! ????????#itsbeginningtolookatlotlikechristmas

A post shared by Nama Winston (@namawinston) on Oct 30, 2018 at 2:59am PDT

She’s a woman I’ve been friends with for 37 years, but for the last 20 years, we’ve lived in different states. On the rare occasions that we actually get to see each other, it’s like nothing’s changed – but that might be because we share an unbreakable bond… based on our love/undying obsession with all things Christmassy.

It’s one of those relationships where we don’t have to talk… as long as we can just tag each other in Christmas memes and posts about Christmas products, for three months of the year.

Demonstrating just how well she knows me, last year, as I was packing up my life to move to Sydney, she sent me the best anti-stress packing gift I could have hoped for: a mini Christmas tree that sang and danced, and that I could hug as I cried myself to sleep surrounded by packing chaos each night.

Now that’s a real friend.

So, why do I love Christmas so much? Well, for starters, it’s not just about the birth of Christ, you know. I’m not saying that to offend anyone; I mean, of course, it is about Baby Jesus, but it’s also about a lot of other stuff these days.

Growing up, my parents were Hindu, but we still got a public holiday – which we always used to feast as a family. That’s our tradition, and it hasn’t changed.

But also, I’m just a sucker for the commercialisation of Christmas.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

This singing, flashing dude was sent by one of my dearest 30yrs++ friends @alicerichardson25, cos only a friend of that vintage knows this is EXACTLY what you need when you’re packing your life up and are feeling very Grinchy when normally you’re Buddy The Freaking Elf. ???????????????? #blessedforreal #onesleeptosydney

A post shared by Nama Winston (@namawinston) on Dec 12, 2017 at 2:20pm PST

I love buying gifts and spoiling loved ones/myself, the smell of wrapping paper, all the catch ups with new and old friends, Christmas lights, the stores filled with decorations, drinking Baileys – my Christmas go-to drink, every single Christmas movie that was ever made, and of course, every single food on offer during the festive season.

Because, that’s the thing: Christmas is a season. It’s not just one day. So, I say, make the most of it.

Mince pies in July? Perfectly acceptable.

Fake snow trees adorning shopping malls? How festive.

Tree up until the day before school starts in January so you can enjoy the twinkling lights for longer? If it were up to my son, we’d never take it down.

Of course, I understand that not everyone feels like this. For example, people who relate more to the Grinch than Buddy the Elf. Joking! I’m just teasing you (Grinch-like people)!

OK, so back to Halloween: did I really put my tree up? Alas, the tree didn't make it up on the stroke of midnight as planned - because, in fact, I forgot we actually don't have one at the moment.

We moved cities the week before Christmas last year, and then - long story, but we were in a hotel over Christmas. So I didn't do anything in our home.

But don't worry, all my fellow Christmas elves - I'll more than make up for it this year - starting this weekend!

Season's greetings, my friends... #hohoho

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