What is it about Christmas.....

That makes us all effin crazy???

I love Christmas and really find it a fun. I look forward to it all year long, truly I do. Even the shopping! I love the smell in the air, the snowy days leading up to the main event, the anticipation of presents, the taste of rich, creamy eggnogg. Why do people go crazy? Why do my in-laws try to send my husband and I important messages about dinner plans telepathically instead of picking up the phone? Why does my mom get a panicked look in her eye when she hears that someone is....running late? Why does it matter so much that we each have the perfect day with all the most perfect people in attendance, and be perfectly happy, come hell or high water? Why all the pressure?

It's a major Christmas drag, I'll tell you. It sucks the life out of me.

And I think it gets worse with age. Because when you think about it, only old people hate Christmas. I've never heard an eight year old swear at the impending doom that is a visit from Santa. But as that eight year old grows up and has an eight year old themelves (and, presumably, all the extended family that come with eight year olds) they start to feel the pressure Santa brings. Busy days ending with traffic jams leading to the mall, demands from all sides of the family--If you have Christmas Day with those guys this year than it's with the other guys next year and then you can't go to their place Christmas Eve without making an appearance at the other place on Boxing Day and for god's sake don't miss Uncle Wayne's Skating PARTY!!

But now that the Christmas crisis of 2008 are past, and we've all gotten it out of our systems, I'm determined to enjoy myself, just like I did when I was eight.

Here's hoping you all do too!

Cheers,

Wendy