Happy Month-Before-Christmas!

I was catching up on some blogs and feeling irritated by the people that are slack in writing (that’s you, Dang), and excited by the people who have been writing a lot more lately (excellent work, Marit and Zacend!), when I realized I myself hadn’t posted in like 4 months. After a quick and slightly excitable slap on the wrist, I set myself down to write and realized – it’s NOVEMBER. It’s no secret that I love and adore Christmas, and start planning for it in July, and talk about it constantly and play Christmas music and have already done 80% of my shopping (it’s called the Internet – get some). But I still, after 13 years of living in the States, have a hard time coping with how it sneaks up on me. I think it has something to do with how late Thanksgiving is here. I’m used to a nice early-October Canadian Thanksgiving, then Halloween, then a full two months to prepare. Here, I now have to wait another three weeks for Thanksgiving, and then BOOM, it will be Christmas like the next day. It doesn't help that it's sunny and 65 degrees outside, and that I have gorgeous pink roses in full bloom around my mailbox.

I had my first Christmas-worry dream last night. This year, my college friend T. who teaches in New Zealand will be in Toronto with her two kids and my college roommate Lola will be around with her two kids, so we’re all going to meet up – I can’t wait. In the dream, though, I suddenly realized it was December 25th and I had to leave for NC the next day and I had not seen them PLUS we had forgotten to celebrate Christmas. Did I mention I’m a natural born worrier? So I had to instantly email them both first thing this morning to lock in plans.

And as disappointed as I am to still be living with Loud and all that goes along with that, I am still excited that I get to have another Christmas in this house. This house wears the holidays very well. I have been toying with the idea of having some sort of holiday party/open house/New Year’s get-together, but haven’t decided yet. Part of it depends on my work/travel schedule, which impacts my energy/availability, part of it depends on whether Loud will be around since I don’t want him or his offensively young boyfriend or irritating friends to be here, and part of it depends on what’s going on with the baby attempt – I don’t want to commit to something and then be all barfy or tired and not enjoy it. Regardless – only 54 days til Christmas! I think I'll do my first batch of cookies this weekend...