Christmastime is Here

I’m not quite sure what happened to the second half of November and the first half of December; last time I checked the calendar it was November 5th and Christmas was merely a blip on the horizon. Now, it looms less than 10 days away and I wonder, where did the last 40 days go?

I was fully prepared to be, well, fully prepared for Christmas in advance this year. I thought that in the later part of November that I would leisurely stroll about in the shops finding the perfect something for all the friends on my list this year. But in actuality, intent and reality were so far removed from each other that continents separated them.

In my defense, work managed to creep up from being 35 to 40 hours of my week to being well over 40 and bordering on 50; leaving me tired and not strong enough to face an evening spent being jostled about in a crowded shopping centre.

The other thing I blame is the weather. In the latter stages of November, Mother Nature decided to make up for her lackadaisical approach to the winter thus far and dumped a tonne of snow followed by turning down the external thermostat to well below seasonal.

To which by body responded, in the way my body will always respond to the extreme misery of winter and attempted to kick into hibernation mode. My brain saying - “wait until it warms up, no need to go out today in this miserable weather” and my body responding with - “Sure, I need the rest, why should we bother expending energy today that we can conserve for another day.”

All of which leads me to sitting here, days before Christmas with no presents bought and feeling wholly unChristmassy.

Maybe when I get home to my parent’s place and see the tree and the decorations; hear the Christmas music and taste my Mum’s Christmas Cake it will feel more like Christmas, but until then I will simultaneously marvel and lament the rapid passage of an entire month, or more, and wonder how the heck did it become Christmastime?

I hope the holidays bring you times to remember and peaceful days with friends and family; for their presence is far more important than presents.

Happy Christmas to one and all!