Suffering from “Grinchitis”

For some reason, I am feeling a somewhat like a Grinch this December. Those who know me would think that is very odd, because I have always been a very organized and spirited Christmas to-do list-maker, Christmas shopper, Christmas cookie baker and Christmas light putter-upper.  But this year I don’t feel like doing any of that. I haven’t even made a list of tasks to prepare for the season. The month came upon me so quickly that I wasn’t ready to think about Christmas. And now it’s December 6th and I am still not in the mood. Despite the wonderful Christmas cocktail party I attended on Saturday. Despite the coloured lights and ornaments brightening up the city at night. And despite the fact that in two weeks I’ll be heading to Canada to celebrate the season with my wonderful family.

I believe I’m suffering from “Grinchitis.” Last week I pulled out Christmas cards and as I began to compile the address list to print up labels I suddenly didn’t want to write Christmas cards this year. “What would happen,” I asked my husband, “if we just didn’t send out cards this year.” He smiled that indulgent smile of his and replied, “The world would come to an end.” So I made the decision right then and there that I wasn’t going to and closed my address book and put away the cards. (I apologize in advance to those of you who expect to receive a seasonal greeting from me in the mail.)

Perhaps my lack of Christmas spirit has to do with the realization that our family traditions have changed. Obviously part of that is because we now live in Bermuda and must juggle our schedule to travel and don’t even stay home for Christmas. But I also think my mood has to do with the fact that as time keeps charging ahead, our children have become adults. They live independent lives of their own that we try to fit into for a few weeks of the year. So our Lego Advent calendar stays in its box, our family tree decorating day no longer happens, and I must bake Christmas cookies alone.

Or maybe it’s because here in our rented house in Bermuda, I only have a fraction of my beloved Christmas ornaments and can’t put out our lighted Dickens village or make up our crazy tree. (All of that is in storage in Canada.) Perhaps my Christmas malaise is due to the thought of assembling our little four-foot artificial tree. Somehow it seems futile when we won’t be home for Christmas. Besides, until we moved to Bermuda, we’ve always only had beautiful and real Christmas trees and our little baby fake tree feels a little bit like cheating to me.

I’m not complaining, mind you. I just need to get out of my funk and get into the Christmas spirit. How do I do that?

For starters, today, after I post this, I will blast Christmas carols through my iPod player and pull out our little tree and ornaments and set up Christmas in the house. It’s a start, right?