Ho-blooming-Ho!

Gah!  Its that time of year again when we're forced to be happy and full of good will to all men and make pleasant chit chat with those work colleagues / neighbours / sulky-faced shop assistants we normally don't give the time of day to in a veiled attempt to make up for the ills of the rest of the year.

Bah-flaming-humbug! I don't know if its down to the weather, the time of year (I'm a "summer" baby, ergo I despise the winter months) or just because it all seems so superficial and false, but I'm finding it pretty difficult this year to swallow back my feelings of loathing about the festive season. Why can't we make an effort with others at any time of the year, not just for a couple of weeks in December? And the forced making merry with family within close confines (let's face it, few of us are going to be treated to a breath taking, snow enchanted walk post-Christmas lunch), arguing over which movie to watch, whose turn it is to choose a board game and the feeling that one just has to join in with the jollities. Don't get me wrong; I love my family and TOM's family are (mostly) great as well. But it just ain't natural to have a protracted bonding session in someone's elses house (Outlaws this year) for 7 or 8 hours in a single day.

Tried to explain to TOM tactfully that I'm really struggling to find my 'Christmas spirit' this year. His solution? He's gone up into the attic to bring down the Christmas decorations to "get you in the swing of things" !!!!

I know what we're doing next year - we're going away for a week to a cottage somewhere, just the 4 of us to have some proper, quality, family time without any other pressures or distractions. That's what we'll be doing. How long to December 2010??