About this time each year, I rant and moan about Christmas.  "Christmas is so commercialised and it's no fun anymore", "My family's Christmas sucks", "Christmas, blah blah blah, Christmas whine and complain".  I'm sure I had the world's smallest, saddest violinist playing the world's most tragic song (or perhaps an out of key rendition of "O Holy Night!") for me and all my holiday woes.  This year, however, is completely different.

This is my first year in a different city from most, nay, all of my family.  And missing them, and the dog, and the ugly red shag carpet that is still upstairs has turned me into a Christmas fanatic. I'm just jonesing for the season.  I'm craving gingerbread, eggnog, and tortiere. My eyes well up at television specials and greeting card commercials. And, right now, nothing would make me happier than to be able to go home for the arbitrary 25th, or to have back one of those years that I didn't appreciate while it was here.

Instead, this year, I'm probably going to stay in my pajamas all day, watch A Christmas Story three times before lunch, and eat grilled cheese. And it will probably taint my perception of grilled cheese forever, and I will complain about it next year instead.

Currently Watching Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas Plus Halloween & Easter Celebrations By Tim Conner, Johnny Counterfit, Greg Black, Ron Tinsley, Todd Tolces, Krisha Fairchild, Brian Cummings see related