Holiday Spirit

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR -- Andy Williams

This year, I am replete with Christmas spirit.

Usually, I am not. Usually, it takes me until around December 17th to get in the holiday mood. For whatever reason, this year I am like a shiny-nosed, pointy-shoed, sparkly clad lunatic.

It started the week before Thanksgiving. I had just worked a ridiculously long day and was grumpy, hungry, cranky mood as I drove home. I was angrilly punching at the radio buttons, grumbling that there was nothing on but commericals. Then, I came across a station that was playing...Christmas carols. "It's too early to start this!" I thought. I cannot possibly stand 6 weeks of Christmas carols. Then I cranked up the radio and happily sang along with the Grinch song at the top of my lungs.

The day after Thanksgiving, pulled out a box of Christmas decorations. "It's too early for this!" I thought. I left the box downstairs in the storage area until last weekend. Of course, I only brought it upstairs, I didn't actually unpack it and spread Christmas joy around the Garage Majal. But I thought about it. Happily.

Then, this weekend, it snowed. I didn't actually go out and run around in the snow, but I thought about it. I had some hot chocolate and sat on the sofa, watching movies all day. Thinking about the snow. Happily.

And today, as I trudged out to my car after another long work day, in the freezing, frigid, frosty weather, I wasn't grumpy. I wasn't cranky. (I was hungry) I was actually kind of glad it was cold, in a shivery sort of way. After letting my car warm up, I punched the button to the Christmas station, cranked up the radio, and happily sang along all the way home.

And I'm thinking of putting up the tree.

Happy happy and merry merry.