The Bed Tent

I am this close to looking around on Ebay and buying a bed tent, just like the one I had when I was a kid. Of course, I would also need to buy a twin bed to go along with it. If there is a company out there that manufactures queen-sized bed tents, I would be eternally grateful. Winter - specifically Christmastime - tends to make me nostalgic for my old toys. Probably because I usually got them for Christmas, then played with them through the winter before chucking them in my closet in the warmer months. I would love to ask for Barbies, Hot Wheels, Legos, Creepy Crawlers, and Batman posters this year.

I am sure my friends and family would be happy to buy me those things. They are all cheaper than the stuff on my wish list these days. I could have all of the Legos in the world, but it would never be as fun as it was when I was nine. So I'll ask for clothes and shoes and jewelry and kitchen appliances, and have the grown-up version of fun. I guess I can't complain... I like dressing myself up instead of Barbies and driving a real car instead of Hot Wheels. I cook meals and desserts instead of Creepy Crawlers, and I hang up art and photos of my family instead of movie posters. Not a bad trade-off.

I'm still going to hunt around on Ebay, because nothing can replace the bed tent.

Baby Jesus vs. Baby Gap

It is not hard for me to get caught up in the Christmas excitement, but sometimes I can go the entire season without getting in the right Christmas-frame-of-mind. I love shopping and decorations and Gap ads for scarves as much as the next girl. I love shiny, loud Christmas. I love making lists of gifts and lists of card recipients and lists of treats to make for my neighbors. I love listening to pop Christmas songs sung by Ashley Tisdale and Kelly Clarkston. I tend to get wrapped up in the excitement.

This morning I am listening to a "Classic Christmas" station on Pandora. It is mostly church choirs. It reminds me of going to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir when I was little, walking around Temple Square to see the lights, and eating Christmas dinner at my Grandpa's house. Even though the religion is not part of my life anymore, those were the Christmas traditions of my childhood.

There is a big difference between that flashy Rudolph Christmas and the subdued, reverent Christmas. It is the difference between going to the mall and helping out at the homeless shelter. The great thing about this time of year, is that there is plenty of time for both. You can buy your sister a colorful scarf and pick up a toy for a little girl on the Angel tree. They will both help you get into the spirit of things, but in different ways.

I'm certainly not getting on a high horse here about how we should all be kind to our fellow man and avoid the commercialized Christmas. As soon as I get sick of this station, I am sure that I will switch it back over to young pop stars singing Santa Baby. I love commercialized Christmas. (Except for those stupid Jared/Zales/Kay jewelry ads.) It is just nice to get a little glimpse of that kind of Christmas spirit that comes from inside instead of being thrown at you every time you turn on the television or open a magazine.