Y’all seem to be a bit freaked out about our tree being up already, to say the least.

Also? About my use of the word “y’all.”

But that’s fine. We’re okay with being different and enthused… even if it’s slightly ahead of schedule.

So much so, in fact, that we’re going to give you a little Christmas randomology, in the form of a roommatish co-post.

Here goes…

The Best Five Things About Christmas:

Catherine:

1. Christmas decorations. Everywhere. In malls, at home, in trees on the street, at the local coffee shop. Trees and lights and presents and christmasy things.
2. The red Christmas cups at Starbucks.
3. Christmas movies. My favorites are White Christmas, A Christmas Story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (not really christmas, but close enough…it has snow), and pretty much all other Christmas movies. Even ones involving Tim Allen. The cool Christmasy stuff negates the Tim Allen-ness.
4. Rain. And Snow. But mostly rain. Love it.
5. Ummm…..Jesus?

Meg:

1. I really like lights. Sparkly lights. Twinkly lights. Happy lights. It’s a season where people put up lights. And I dig how they make the darkness seem… less dark.
2. Gingerbread lattes are the nectar of the Gods.
3. I really love Christmas parties… people look all glowy and rosy and cheerful, and how can you not love that? I think my work party is one of the funniest events of the year, and also one of the most dear, because everyone just seems so thrilled to be there with one another… even though we spend eight hours together five days a week.
4. My parents are very Christmasy parents. My mom decorates like an absolute dervish, and my dad has about 1,001 Christmas albums uploaded to his iPod. Maniacs, I tell you. It’s because of them that I am… this way.
5. I really like singing Christmas music. Especially Handel’s Messiah. Although my roommate sings it better than I do. Just saying. I can bring the Christmas tunes. Especially when I am cleaning the bathroom. Showers are acoustic wonderlands.

Top Five Favourite Christmas Songs/Carols:

Catherine:

1. (First I would like to say, that it is very difficult to just pick 5. But, alas, I will try…) I LOVE “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.” It isn’t really common, but when it’s sung in a beautiful large cathedral, it’s hauntingly beautiful.
2. I like Santa Baby. Because if you can manage to sound even remotely provocative in a Christmas carol, you get kudos from me.
3. I have absolutely no idea why, but for some reason, I’ve always liked Good King Wenceslas. I don’t even know the guy. And I really like that they manage to rhyme the words “cruel” and “fuel” in a Christmas carol.
4. Mary’s Boy Child is a cool song.
5. I like pretty much anything from the NSync Christmas album. Hey, I totally didn’t like it either the first time I heard it. But it grows on you. Give it time people. Give it time.

Meg:

1. I remember going to see my friend Rod perform Handel’s Messiah (with his choir, not alone…) and when the big finale of the Hallelujah chorus came, I flat out burst into tears. Like, streaming down my cheeks. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of the way their voices blended and soared that I pretty much turned into a blubbering mess. Rock, rock on, I say.
2. “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” is nearly perfect. I once had a goldfish I named Jesu. Until I realized it was actually Jesus, and that’s a wee bit blasphemous.
3. “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” is a fabulous standard with a fierce emotional connection for me. I remember hearing it in the airport on the day we picked my brother up from his Christmas break from the US Army. I started to cry right then and there. Fortunately, he never saw action. Of that kind. Any other action at any other point, I DON’T WANT TO KNOW. Ew.
4. Mel Torme singing “The Christmas Song”? Oy to the vey. Smoothness.
5. “The First Noel” is a favourite, especially if you go for that one ridiculous note. Which is best done in the shower. ALONE, mind you. Because what are you doing singing The First Noel in the shower if you aren’t alone? Man, you guys are weird. Although, now that I think of it, anyone I’d be in the shower with would probably just laugh.

Top Five Favourite Things To Receive For Christmas ’06

Catherine:

1. Well I can do wish lists. No problem here. Except I will only get maybe one of these items. I would really like a digital camera.
2. An ipod–but I want a digital camera more.
3. A pretty, girly, real silver watch.
4. A day of pampering at a spa.
5. A toblerone. Cause it’s a pretty safe bet that I’ll get at least one. Doesn’t everyone?

Meg:

1. I would really like a Nikon digital SLR camera. With a really good lens. Oy vey, the fun I could have.
2. A really good set of down pillows. Pillows to last the ages. I have HORRIBLE pillow luck. I can’t find pillows that don’t get mad clumpy and weird pretty much instantaneously.
3. I would really like a whole ton of good-smelling lotions and potions from places like Lush and Cake Beauty and L’Occitane, etc. I am an absolute crackhead for the toiletries.
4. A big, chunky stainless steel watch. Almost a man watch. But not quite, since my hands are miniature and I’d look random.
5. Another trip to California. Stat.

Top Five Things I’d Like To Give Other People This Season (were cash not an object):

Catherine:

1. I would buy my mom and I a vacation. My mom would like to go on a vacation with me pretty much anywhere. And I would love to give that to her and I.
2. I would take Meg to California. For a whole month.
3. I would buy Eric a new computer, and some Oreos from Canada, and a working clock. Or some batteries.
4. I would buy seasons tickets to the Canucks for Meg and I. Okay, so that’s another one for me. But if money was no object, I’d buy stuff for me too.
5. I would buy my dad a beautiful new piano. A grand piano.

Meg:

1. I would get my mom a brand-new sewing machine and a new Serger, and a whole big giant space with lots of “Judy”s (sewing models) and tons of bolts of gorgeous fabric. And it would have big windows, this room, and an easel for her drawing.
2. I would get my dad a few kickass Savile Row suits, and a tab at Ermenegildo Zegna.
3. I would buy Catherine and I a LOOONG vacation where we went anywhere we wanted by car, by plane, by train… INCLUDING San Diego, and San Francisco, and New York, and then Aspen for the winter, where we could make snow angels.
4. I would buy: some rain, a bottle of good olive oil, and a ticket to Vancouver for Eric (also, non-white socks); a ticket to Vancouver for Nancy and the Alien; a fresh set of kayaks for Phil; an unlimited spending trip to Sephora for Ashley; a fabulous new camera for Patia; a whole bunch of woodsmen for Mark B.; a new house in Alturas for Sam; a giant, long, ridiculous honeymoon for Lemondrops Liz; a ticket to the US for Lizardek; new gorgeous knives for Barbie; and… I’ll continue this list later…
5. Season’s tickets for everything at GM Place this season… concerts, hockey games, skating, you name it… for me, Catherine, and our moms.

Top Five Favourite Christmas Traditions:

Catherine:

1. I like to sleep in. None of this getting up early for presents crap. Sleeping is good. I figure eventually I will have kids that wake me up at like 6am, so I’m taking my 20′s easy to sleep.
2. I always make myself chocolate chip pancakes.
3. I always watch a Christmas movie of some kind.
4. Typical family stuff, opening presents, meal of some kind, though not always with my family.
5. Reading the Christmas story in the bible. So I can remember why I got an ipod in the first place. Hmm. That’s a thinker.

Meg:

1. I really love that my mom makes us eat a mandarin orange before we open presents. Nutrition before receiving. Is that a virtue? She’s always done this.
2. I love that we have Chinese takeout every Christmas eve after my dad leads the Christmas Eve service at his church.
3. I love the dressing up for a couple of parties… getting together with my friends to get ready in the same place and borrow lipsticks and earrings and all that other good stuff. Hygienically, of course.
4. I love driving around with my parents looking for Christmas lights on Chuckanut Drive in Bellingham. I love how we sing along with songs on the stereo and my mom sings alto harmony, and my dad sings off-key to bug her. This is endlessly entertaining.
5. I love all the warm, softly-lit, full-of-hugs parties that I have with all my family and friends around this time of year. I love how everyone looks rosy-cheeked and at peace. It’s good. Also? Pushing people down in the snow.

Well. That’s all for now. Feel free to give us one of your answers (or more) for each of these categories…

Because, dammit… IT’S TIME.

The Christmas season started at our house today.

Really.

I’m not even kidding.

As soon as Halloween was over?

BAM.

We were ready to play.

After putting the feet on our furniture properly (hence my mother’s comment on my last post), we rearranged the whole place to make room for…

Our tree.

Notice the blue glow of Hockey Night In Canada just outside the picture.

Also? We put lights on the deck. Apparently, I cannot successfully capture them on film:

Still pretty.

I know people think it’s insane that we bring in the Christmas this early, but really, if it makes us happy?

Why not?

Mmmm… Christmas.

I even put some prettiness in my own room:

My colours! The right green, the right silvery-gray, the right blue, the right chocolate brown.

We’re going to write a post together (Catherine and I) about everything we love about Christmas tomorrow.

Don’t worry — we don’t expect anyone else to have their trees up or anything to read it.

But we’re excited to write it.

AND.

I just realized tonight that I miss playing with kid stuff like Lite Brite and Etch A Sketch and Super Mario Bros.

Not regressing, mind you. Just remembering how damn easy it actually is to have fun.

Because it is.

And sometimes all it takes is putting up your tree on November 4th.