…. to be jolly.
Ho, ho ….. oh whatever.
I mostly loathe this Season.
I really do.
And that ticks me off.
Because I didn’t “before”.
I loved Christmas and everything it entails.
It was a wonderful time of the year for me spiritually, emotionally …. the older kids came home from college for several weeks, and physically …. loved the parties, the goodies we only eat once a year …. I basically loved Christmas.
And then came my “after”.
And it just so happens that my “after” began on December 18th, which is not only one week (exactly) before Christmas, but it’s the birthday of my sister, my brother and my step-dad.
Oh yeah ….. it ranks right up there.
Well, it ranks anyway.
I keep thinking that this will get easier with each year that passes.
So far I have been wrong.
It has not become any easier.
I’ve tried …. I really have.
I’ve tried the whole “mind over matter” thing …. if I just don’t think about it, if I just don’t let myself go “there” ….. then things will be better.
Ummmmm …. not so much.
It seems that my body has a mind (and a clock, AND a calendar) of it’s own. It doesn’t need me thinking about the time of year in order to feel it coming. It pays no attention to my mind. Sigh …..
I’ve tried the “distraction” method ….. if I stay really busy and make a lot of Christmassy plans, things will be better.
All that’s accomplished is to make me really exhausted ….. as well as depressed.
I don’t want to feel like this.
I really, really don’t.
I want to make this a happy time for my kids.
It used to be.
And it sucks that it suddenly wasn’t.
And that I can’t seem to make it better …. or at least can’t make myself feel better.
But the truth is …. I’ve been starting to resent this time of year …. and what has become a very huge part of it ….. the giving of gifts.
Again …. used to love it.
Used to be on top of it.
Used to have my shopping done before December 1st.
I know …. that’s so obnoxious.
And SO pre-2007.
We are now past the 1st …. and I really haven’t done much.
I think about it every once in a while, but then just stop thinking.
I resent having to buy gifts.
I resent some of my children for seeming to want nothing but gifts. (Note that I did not say ALL of my children …. in case you just happen to be one of my children …. and are reading this.)
I resent the feeling of being a human cash machine (to be fair, that’s not just this time of year).
I resent that I seem to make some people happy if I spend enough money ….. or buy the right gift.
And I resent like hell when I hear women complain about what their husband did …. or did not …. give them for Christmas.
There.
Are.
No.
Words.
So yeah …. you can call me Grinch, if you’d like.
I’m ok with that.
Because I feel pretty Grinchy.
And I wonder if I always will?
Or will there ever come a year when I will not feel depressed in December?
Is there some magic number of years? Is it 5? Because I’d totally love it if it were 5. Then at least I’d know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel …. in one more year, to be exact.
But I know there’s no magic number.
For anything.
It is what it is.
Until it isn’t any longer.
I will be very glad when that time comes.
And if it doesn’t come …. please don’t tell me.
I should have something to look forward to.
Doncha think?
P.S. Sorry that we seem to have a running theme going of how hard December is (again, we don’t contact each other about our writing, and I didn’t realize it when I first wrote this a few days ago) ….. I really would’ve liked to have written a cheerier post, but I’m not there ….. yet. I hope to be ….. one day. In the meantime, I hope that each of you isn’t drowning in depression from our posts 🙁