I don’t know about you, but I’m struggling to find my Christmas spirit this year. Even with my holiday book Christmas Breakfor sale at the moment, I can’t seem to get my ho, ho, ho on. And when I do get it, it’s slippery and fleeting. Like my kids when they were little and fresh out of a bubble bath. You could get ahold of them but could never hang on for long. I’ve even pushed back some writing commitments and tried to take it easy on the Type A writer personality trait. A help but not a cure. I still find myself envious of my more holly jolly friends.

 

Part of it is money. Everyone is struggling, it seems. Seeing people put their grocery baskets aside, still stocked with food, when they hit a certain amount is a hard thing to witness. So, I drop whatever cents are in my pocket into the bucket of the Salvation Army bell ringer as I pass. It’s something small and doable and briefly lifts my spirits.

 

Part of it is time. There never seems to be enough. So with shopping and school events and after school activities and concerts and deadlines, I want to climb under the covers and hide until the 26th. So, I carve out a half hour to read every night. Even if it takes an act of God, I try to manage. And I ignore everything (barring fires, floods, or bleeding kids) during that time.

 

I cannot get into the mood, at least not the way I want to. So, I mail small inexpensive things to friends and family. So far this season, I’ve gotten two killer gifts. A charm that says, WINE SLUT that made me laugh out loud. Hard. Which was a gift in itself. And an erotic connect the dots page a day calendar that had me giggling all over again. The beauty of it is that it can sit on my desk in the open because it looks like nothing but a page of dots until you take a pen to it. But the thought behind the gifts is what warmed my heart. And still does.

 

So, I am struggling with my Christmas Spirit this year. But I cut myself some slack. One off year is not the end of the world. I’m normally a whore for all things merry and jolly and bright. Plus, despite the effort it is taking, every day some bright spot lights up my day. My goal this year is to simply treasure those moments for what they are.

 

Wishing you a great holiday season, whether your spirit is big or small this year!

XOXO