CHRISTMAS TREE AREN'T JUST FOR DECEMBER

                    Lately, it has felt as if my to-do list is continually piling up.
                   A project is due in two weeks, and my room needs to be cleaned by a certain time.  I'm hoping I can negotiate a way out of that mess.  If I take out the trash or help with yardwork, is that enough to convince my mom to clean my room?
                   The shorts and flip-flops I wore last year have grown small.  Now I must race to the mall in order to buy my favorite styles before they are all gone.
                  This pattern of tasks that needs to be completed may seem endless, but in reality, procrastination can be a good thing.
                   For proof, look no further than my foyer.
                   A quick walk through my front door explains everything:  Our Christmas tree is still standing.  Yes, it is April, and our beloved tree is still standing proudly in our front room.
                   Blame it on laziness, but I enjoy having an evergreen live up to its name.  It is an artificial tree my parents bought 14 years ago, and it still looks festive after all of that use.  We plug it in from time to time amd watch it light up.
                    Sometimes, we even play with the interactive ornaments, such as the "Peanuts" gang ornament that sings, the Jonas Brothers' ornament that plays their theme song and an ornament that features sledding penquins.
                     Christmas trees are so comforting, especially because they remind everyone of that magical time of year.  Hearing the holiday music and staring at presents fills me with such glee.
                      Holidays are a time for fun, even if they are celebrated each day of the year.  Our friends have stared at us and asked about the tree's purpose.  Usually, we just giggle, nod and explain that we haven't felt like taking it down.
                       In my opinion, why should we be pressured into taking something down that we will have to put up again in less than 200 days?  We should celebrate each day, and live life to its fullest.  I love winter, snow and all that cold weather brings.  Hot chocolate and fireplaces bring a feeling of warmth that not even summer heat can replicate.
                      The feeling of a warm blanket against cold skin makes my mouth water.  So many interesting things happen during winter that I wish December was one year long.  Thirty-one days isn't enough to contain the happiness that consumes my being when that music plays and the light show opens.
                       Longings for snow may be unusal, but summer still isn't exciting for me.  The sun stares into the earth, causing sunburn, sun poisoning and, in some cases, skin cancer.  The humidity levels rise off the charts, and it feels as if no one can escape from the heat's uncenching fist.
                       Having a Christmas tree reminds me to take in each moment.
                       And it makes me feel as if it is still December.