I'm sure Mark is about done with me at Christmastime. I returned a bunch of stuff he bought me. I argued with him about how much we were spending. I pestered him about what we were getting whom. I never set a budget and I overspent on him. I took down some lights that he spent about 30 minutes wrestling with to get up. AND I announced two weeks before Christmas that I was over it. And by the time it happened, I actually did feel over it. And yet, it was a really good Christmas with my peeps.
I don't know what to say in my defense that doesn't sound bratty. Christmas seems to be getting a little less magical each year and now I can understand why my mother has gotten to a place where she refuses to celebrate it. This year, the things that brought me joy weren't the things you could buy. I made a couple of gifts, which was fun. A few of us watched a few Christmas movies. I got to visit an old friend and my mother - both nice visits. Mark and I took a break and went to wineries that were festively decorated and happy places - super fun.
Way back when, when we were going to church on Christmas Eve it was nice some times, stressful on other times, and we decided to drop it. But maybe we should find a way to add that aspect in again, without going to a church we don't belong to, where we know no one, and going through the motions while internally wishing it was a shorter service - cause that's what happened.
And maybe I need to do an attitude check here and jot some ideas down for next year. 'Cause I sure don't want a repeat of a bratty Christmas.
