'Tis the...

Regardless of the amount of snow on the hood of my car, or the date showing on the calendar or even the incessant stream of holiday ditties spewing from every public speaker in this hemisphere, I now know without question that The Season is Upon Us.

Holidiailes has begun!

I shall spend the next month regaling you with exciting tales of shopping, baking, wrapping, attending, eating, opening, cleaning, socializing and then ultimately collapsing. I'm so anxious to get started. Not.

Seriously, I used to be the most hard-ass traditionalist you would ever meet. Real tree, specific baked items on the diningroom table, handmade decorations on all flat surfaces (including an intricate setup on top of the entertainment centre). A season completed with military precision, much to the chagrin of The Boy and my immediate family. Two years ago, the inclusion of stockings in the Christmas Day celebration was discontinued at the behest of my Mother who had to virtually give me a smackdown to get me to give up on them.

This year, I'm of two minds about the whole thing. I seem to enjoy the solitary tasks like writing cards and baking but just the thought of all the expected socialization makes me tired. I need an injection of spirit, stat.

Posted at 8:05 a.m.