Christmas Time is Here!

Happy Beginning of the 2010 Christmas Season!

Now, I do love Halloween and all of the fall festivities that come with the season, climaxing in the big show of autumn, Thanksgiving. But last Thursday when the momma, grammy and I sat down to our feast of turkey and whatnot, I busted out the Christmas music and sang out with gusto between mouthfuls of mashed 'tatos.

I was talking with Abby and Tom last night about the Christmas season. They invited me over for dinner and a cribbage death match (I totally won) and their apartment was already decked out in holiday flare. As we listened to the Pandora selections of Christmas music, I actually realized that, for me, the build up to December 25 is way better than the actual day. From 5 am on black Friday when I am throwing elbows at other shoppers in the sock section of Fred Meyers for 1/2 priced socks and other such deals to the holiday parties with ugly sweaters and white elephant gifts to my family's Christmas eve tradition of Chinese food and driving around to see Christmas lights... the actual Christmas day just pales in comparison when it comes to the build-up of excitement, warmth of feeling and sharing of happy times with family and friends.

I love the anticipation more than the actual event. It was different when I was younger and all I wanted was to amass an even larger amount of toys and stuff. But, thankfully, that is not my main mode of operation anymore. The Christmas season is a one month period of the year for me to show my love to the people in my life and to do so while wearing red and green. Christmas gives me the freedom to be cheerful at an almost-too-sickeningly-sweet level, fueled by obnoxious Christmas music and peppermint-flavored everything. Once the actual Christmas day hits, it feels anti-climatic. I still enjoy the day thoroughly, but on December 26 the pain of putting away all of the decorations begins. All of the Christmas music, which at that point I will be sick of after listening to it for four weeks straights, gets put back into the closest and I am faced with the "where am I going to be on New Year's Eve" dilemma and then that's it. I don't get psyched about a holiday again until Easter (my birthday, beginning of spring, bunnies, etc...).

So, with that being said, bring on the Jingle Bells! Peppermint Mochas at Starbucks? Yes Please! The healthy stress of finding perfect Christmas gifts? Let me have it! Christmas time is here and I have a whole month to enjoy!