Things have changed.

When I was young, I looked forward to Christmas all year long. It was the things dreams were made of. I would spend hours and hours pouring over each and every page of the big thick Sears catalog. Turning down page corners and circling in pencil all the wonderful things I hoped to find under the Christmas tree. I would write my wish list with no less than 5 rough drafts before it was perfect.

The night before Christmas was the longest night of the year...
On Christmas morning I'd wake up and run down the stairs filled with excitement and joy.
There I'd see it. The worlds most perfect Christmas Tree. Covered with beautiful lights, tons of ornaments each one telling their own story, hundreds of those little shiny aluminum foil-like icicles that my poor mother would painstakingly de-clump after my brother and I put them on,

And the presents... Oh My Goodness the presents!!! They were in every shape and size, wrapped to perfection each with its own contrasting pretty bow. Stockings bursting with all kind of goodies. There was a crackling fire in the fireplace, and fresh snow on the ground outside.

Christmas as a child was perfect.
Now, before ya get all up in arms, yes my family knew the real meaning of Christmas, that was a very important part, but as a child... The presents were a BIG deal too.

Christmas was a very special time. Things felt different, Things felt happy, the world looked like it was washed clean with snow, it smelled fresh, Every house was decorated with festive lights, people seemed friendlier, the whole peace on Earth thing seemed within reach of my child-size hands.

I am all grown up now. And this time of year just doesn't seem "magical" anymore.
I don't know if it's because I now live in a part of the country where we have no snow.
Maybe its the commercialism and the hype. I just don't know.
Maybe it'd because this year is a leaner year for us.

I do not look forward to the Holidays. They seem to be more of a hassle than anything else.
I don't feel like putting up a Christmas Tree. I don't feel like decking the Halls.
I don't feel like fighting the mobs at the stores.
I don't feel like untangling colorful lights.

I'd kinda like to just go to bed and wake up after Christmas.
I thank God for sending his son for us.
Happy Birthday Jesus sounds about right.
I'm just not in the mood for all the "other" stuff

Reality and being a grown-up kinda really kinda sucks sometimes doesn't it?
I wanna be a kid again, just for the Holidays!

This ends my whining, Mrs. Scrooge, rant... for now. ;)