Oh, Christmas.
How I love having an excuse to bake more often than normal- which usually means taking up entire fridge shelves with tupperwares of dough.
And how I love designing gingerbread houses, even though the time commitment for this sort of project usually means I kind of fizzle out just shy of complete execution.
I love pretty wrapping papers and packaging string, although, as a southpaw, I am completely inept with scissors and can't wrap neatly to save my life.
I love the strings of lights draped over everything, and how, if you squint your eyes, they all turn into stars.
I love hot chocolate, flavored with candy canes.
I love seeing wreathes on everyone's doors.
I love sitting and watching the fireplace crackle at the Swan's house.
I love the smell of fir and the burning incense curling up from the pipes of the räuchermann, and decorating the house with painted wooden ornaments from the German Christmas markets.
And this year I developed a new Christmas love for the "nightcap", compliments of my grandmother. (Athough I don't think that this tradition is going to fade with the holiday season.)
Yet, despite all the things that make Christmas really special, I am
pretty certain December 25th is my very least favorite day of the year.
I am sure this benign word choice would be considered an quite an understatement if you were to ask anyone in my family. They might be more liking quoted using strong verbs like hate, or despise, etc.
I can't really explain to you why this is. Sure, you could attribute it to some innate loathing of materialism, but that would be entirely false, as I love presents, and anyone who has glanced at my Svpply knows, I am a wee bit materialistic. Perhaps you might blame it on the weather or maybe the music. But again, I've lived in the Southern Hemisphere and I promise you, this condition does not get any better regardless of the forecast, and last Christmas was spent entirely Jingle-free.
The simple fact remains that I am the holiday grinch.
And this is an apology to anyone who has ever had to spend Christmas with me.
