We have entered the period I will gleefully refer to as the "post Oct. 31" time of year, and thankfully, the inappropriate Halloween costumes are buried, once again, in the back of the closet.
Enter: Starbuck's red holiday cups. Mini Hershey bars wrapped in Christmas colors. "Frosty the Snowman" and "The Jolly Christmas Postman." The Nutcracker. (Hum the Tchaikovsky songs. You know you remember them.)
The list goes on and on and even though Thanksgiving is still two weeks away, I can't help it, Christmas has hit me. I'm already listening to Christmas songs and it's only a matter of time till I start living in my (perfectly Texas) Merry Christmas Ya'll SMU shirt. Bliss.
With that said, I want to spread the spirit. And in my opinion, the earlier, the better. After all, November and December are the only two months out of the year that we all get full permission to act like five year olds and indulge in all the sweets we can get our Christmas-red fingers on.
So here's what I suggest to make the holidays as fashionably perfect as possible. And since the economy these days does not lend itself to extravagant gifts and opulent buying adventures I suggest we all make the best out of the little things.
First: Humor your inner child and purchase a ticket to go see a performance of The Nutcracker. Texas Ballet Theater will begin performances Dec. 5 and with tickets starting at $19 it is a justifiable expenditure. But, if money is a real crunch - as it is for most - do a Google search and find a community ballet company that is performing the timeless story and reserve your ticket. Better yet, ask around and find out which of your fabulous friends have daughters performing and invite yourself to tag along.
Second: Buy a bag of candy. Any flavor will do so long as it is wrapped in Christmas colors. Put them in a red or green bowl of your choosing, and place it somewhere prominent in your home. At around $4 a bag, it's an affordable treat.
Third: Red nail polish, enough said. Visit your local pharmacy or Sephora and choose a deep, dark red. It's easy to find a bottle that fits your desired color palette and budget. There's always something about red nails that make any outfit a little more glamorous and in the holiday spirit. It'll make Mrs. Clause proud.
Fourth: If you haven't already, visit www.pandora.com - the free Internet radio - and search for Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives. It will create the perfect Christmas radio.
Fifth: Treat yourself to something that sparkles. Don't be too tacky but this Christmas season, instead of splurging on a new Christmas dress, update your trusty Little Black Dress with an embellished skinny belt or a statement necklace. Places like Forever 21 carry tons of sparkly accessories. And while not a big fan of attention getting glitz, there's something about glitter that makes me think magic, and there's nothing like the Christmas season to make magic absolutely irresistible.
Most importantly, smile. Times are tough, so pop the trusty Christmas C.D. in your car and let yourself go back to the times of childhood and Christmas magic at its purest. Smile, because the best Christmas gift we can give ourselves is a month of happiness. Tap in, your inner 5-year-old will thank you.
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