No More Scrooge for Me

There is so much to enjoy with holidays: time spent with family, gorging oneself on massive amounts of deliciously yummy food, decorations. During the Christmas holidays, I tend to find myself a bit of a Scrooge. I used to love Christmas. It was a love affair that typically had me listening to holiday music way too early and insisting on putting up the decorations the day immediately following Thanksgiving. Then somewhere in the past few years, there was a disconnect. My sister told me it was because I became bitter and cynical. As much as I'd fight that point, I secretly knew she was right.

Since my nephew and niece were born, I knew I had to start adjusting my attitude towards the season of holiday cheer. One cannot be the fun aunt if one hates Christmas. Thus began my conscious effort towards removing the blues and replacing them with silver bells in my heart. Naturally, I did this by following the code of the Elves:

• Treat everyday like Christmas
• There's room for everybody on the nice list
• The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear

Buddy the Elf would be proud. I've spent the last week singing Christmas carols at the top of my lungs. My officemate and I started the cheer a bit early this year by indulging our Christmas spirits in the sounds of the holidays before Thanksgiving. Speaking of which, has anyone else notice how Thanksgiving gets streamrolled more than any other holiday? I mean, seriously. Christmas decorations are making an appearance before the cornucopia even has its chance to make it to the table. The turkey is being cooked to the tunes of Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. It simply isn't fair. Every holiday should have its own chance to shine. Thanksgiving is just underappreciated. We should all be glad that it hasn't disappeared into the woodwork yet, never to make an appearance again. That would just be tragic. That particular holiday has better food than any other. I do love turkey comas.

So, here I sit, writing to the light of the bulbs on my Christmas tree, with Dean Martin crooning the tunes of Christmas cheer while still full from Thanksgiving day leftovers. It is delightful. My Scrooge heart has yet to make an unwelcome arrival this year and I plan on keeping it that way. Or else it shall be beaten away with a stick. A big, ugly stick. And who likes ugly at such a pretty time of year?