When Christmas Isn't Perfect

by Roseann McGrath Brooks

This year, I began celebrating Christmas earlier than usual. Most Decembers, I’m a strict adherent to the unwritten rule of no decorations, no carols, and even no gift shopping before Thanksgiving. However, 2024 has been a year of change for me—as an American, an employee, a homeowner, and a writer. Not all of these changes have been bad, but by early November, I needed the, let’s say, “stability,” that Christmas carols and Hallmark movies bring.

While engaging in th...