The Spirit of the Season

Well, Christmas has come and gone once again. In a way, I wish I was one of those people who ooze holiday spirit and goodwill toward men this time of year, but I definitely do not. I don't revel in holiday songs, I don't ohhh and ahhh at holiday lights, I don't bake gingerbread men or sugar cookies. Instead I grumble about the extra people at the mall and resent having to buy gifts and mail holiday cards. I am just a regular old Grinch. Perhaps my one redeeming quality, is that I enjoy spending time with family (especially my husband's) and eating Christmas dinner. I also like Christmas parties and the alcohol that comes with them.

This Christmas went well. On Christmas Eve, my husband and I drove to Greenville to spend the holiday with his family. His dad had enjoyed a cup of more of his favorite drink, Scotch and water, so he was especially jolly and made dinner for the two of us. We slept in the next day and opened presents around one. I got towels, an everlasting nail file, pajamas, a throw blanket, a book about Japan and a nice winter coat. I haven't had a coat in years. Not since my dad's psycho ex-girlfriend bought me a bunch of clothes for Christmas in 1998 or '99. A month or so later she tried to run my dad down with her car, so needless to say that was the last Christmas we spent with her.

The rest of our visit was uneventful. My boss called on Christmas day to try and get me to work the next afternoon but I stalled and he found someone else to do it. We visited various stores the day after Christmas and my mother-in-law bought us a few goodies. My husband and I ate lunch with his father at a Cajun restaurant. My dad called to wish me a merry Christmas, and to tell me he was mailing us a check for a wedding/Christmas present. We visited one of my husband's friends and the two boys spent hours watching football and playing Xbox 360. Good times.

Up next is New Years Eve. As usual, my husband and I have no idea what we're going to do. In the past two or three years, I've come to dislike New Years because of all the pressure there is to have the best night ever. I don't know about everybody else, but nearly all of my New Years have failed to be all that the night is supposed to be. Last year, my husband and I went to another couple's home and spent the night drinking beer, playing board games and waving sparklers around. It was a pleasant enough night, but I felt that we were missing out on something and that we had truly become old. We shall see what this year brings...