Falling Into Christmas

By this time in a usual year, I would be donning my Christmas garb, practicing my hearty ho-ho's, and looking forward to lots of good things to eat and drink.

Which is another way of saying I'd be well into the spirit of the season and comfortably ahead of schedule in shopping.

In a normal year my thoughts would turn to Christmas preparation (anticipation being reserved for kids), oh, about December 1st.  It would be just the occasional thought.  Come Dec 10th I would be more or less focused, and by Dec 15th rabidly on task.

But this year I seem to be stepping off my back foot, or stepping while the rug is being pulled out from under me.  I seem to be falling into Christmas...

Just a few days ago I was still thinking of the usual chores of life, made slightly more complicated by this economic 'meltdown' (maybe that is the global warming they've been talking about, cause it sure isn't warm right now).

Now I am incredibly late in my duties and experiencing the angstiest of Christmas angsts ever.

I hope my family will forgive me if I just give up right now and sit by the fire and drink a nice merlot.  This is a holiday about love, warmth, and peace, after all, and not frantic dashing here and there, standing in long, long lines, and combating gridlock traffic.

I hope they will accept that I am fallible and only getting more so. 

And I hope they like gift certificates...

Merry Christmas !!!