I've come to really appreciate Christmas

Amazing how moving away from family and friends makes you appreciate them so much more, and since the Christmas season (religious significance aside) is so much about family togetherness, I've really come to love just about everything about it. I've always hated Christmas music, but this year I find myself smiling when I'm in a store and they've got Christmas music playing.

I've never decorated my own place for Christmas. I've always lived close enough to family and friends that had their places done up, that I could just visit if I wanted to feel Christmas-y. This year, I bought a (fake) tree, a stocking, and a few other little things to Christmas up my place.



In the past, all the Christmas gettogether stuff was just what we did. I think this is the first time that I've actually found myself looking forward to it. Funny, I had assumed I'd be like so many people who get depressed during the holidays, but I find it to be exactly the opposite. It really is a great time of year.