A Grinch Un-Scrooged

I like to think of myself as a curmudgeon¹. Most people have different names for me. Most are not particularly flattering and if I had feelings or cared what anyone else thought, I might be upset. Luckily, I sleep soundly, never giving it or them a second thought.

I remember I used to love Christmas... as a child, as a teenager, even as a young adult raising two kids. Somewhere along the way, the magic died, the stress, the financial burden, the greed and commercialization all took over and a Grinch was born - or hatched. As the kids got older, and particularly after they left home and I transitioned into a single, forty-ish bachelor living alone, I became less enamored and more jaded.

This year has seemed especially hard for many reasons. The weather has been warm. I haven't had much money (big club, I know), I didn't see much chance of my getting back to my hometown and family for the holidays and aside from being a world-class procrastinator, I was working constantly and didn't do any Christmas shopping until last minute. This might have been cyclical... I wasn't in the "spirit" and so I didn't want to shop and not having any Christmas presents (or decorations) didn't help me with getting the "spirit". With a little luck and a strange twist of fate or two (or some might say a big ol' Christmas miracle, LOL) I was able to make it home for the holidays and even did all my shopping on Christmas Eve Eve and Christmas Eve proper. (I can hear you calling me a slacker.)

My point is (yes, I did have one) that I spent the last few hours with my mom and sister and my sister's 4 kids (3 under 12) and friends and family. Family is important and makes a big difference but let's face it, kids are where the magic comes from in Christmas. My sister has the greatest kids (please don't tell them) and being around youth and innocence, the joy and enthusiasm is contagious. If only we could bottle that feeling, I am confident that the makers of Prozac®, Seroquel®, Xanax® and similar drugs would be out of business... or at least that type of business.

I am still a grumpy old curmudgeon but for this holiday at least, I finally found a little Christmas Spirit. Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight.

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¹ What is a Curmudgeon anyway? See a brilliant explanation here.
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