a holly wreath

I admit, I'm usually one of those people who does her best to resist embracing holiday flora and Christmas fauna 'til at least the first of December. But after spending a weekend morning trimming back the bushes and shrubbery in our front yard, he carried an armful of garden scraps inside to me.

"Here," he said, "I saved you all the pretty bits to decorate the wreath on the front door."

I couldn't bring myself to point out that it was barely November, that holly is really more appropriate in December, that our neighbor's stoops are still bedecked in pumpkins, or that the autumn chrysanthemums have yet to wither entirely. How could I? He is the sweetest. We are now bedecked in holiday cheer earlier than ever. And we couldn't be happier.