Holiday spirit in full swing this time of year

It’s that time of year again. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah or nothing at all, you can’t help but get a little bit of spirit. And if for some genetic reason you don’t, the rest of us must be really annoying.

You have to admit, a regular old Tuesday in November and December is different from a regular old Tuesday in, say, March or September. There’s an inherent sense of anticipation, a feeling that something is about to happen. And you know, it doesn’t have to be anything big or fancy or expensive, it’s just different.

And I’m not talking about the massive commercialization that hits us mid-October. I’m talking about spirit and emotional involvement.

There might be a present, there might be a little party, maybe a nice dinner or it could be that there are just more smiles. Maybe we’re a little nicer, and, just maybe, we’ll do special little things for total strangers.

The last two months of the year are just special.

We even get our homes involved in the holidays. We want new slipcovers, clean carpets, fresh new sheets and towels for the guest room, and possibly new furniture or appliances. Company may be coming from out of town, or it could be that we just want to give ourselves and our house a little treat.

I’ve had a lot of friends and clients doing really big things in their homes — some planned and some not.

One friend is getting all new flooring and new bathrooms. One family got a new fireplace. And whether or not they hang stockings on it, it’s ready for Christmas. These projects were planned.

And then I had someone tell me recently that he had to replace his heat pump unexpectedly. He said, “Well, I guess that’s my Christmas present this year.”

Designers and store owners have always maintained that November and December are busy with homeowners dressing up their houses. Everybody is in a hurry because the work has to be done “before the holidays.”

Even our pets benefit from our enlightened spirit. My dear old cat, Rosie, had his own stocking at Christmastime. No, he didn’t know it was Christmas, but I did, and I wanted him to be included. He would have loved the catnip plant and squeaky mouse just as much in March, but I wanted him to have it in December.

So as we head into the two-month marathon of parties, dinners, company, traveling, giving and getting, don’t forget the spirit. Your house, your pets, your friends and family will appreciate it. And I would, too — I might run into you.

And better yet, keep it going from January through October as well. We’ll all celebrate that.

Carolyn Muse Grant is a founder and past president of the Architectural &Decorative Arts Society, as well as an interior design consultant/stylist specializing in home staging. Send questions to creativemuse@cox.net.