Post Christmas

Anticipation. How many times did I hear my son say, “I can’t wait until Christmas”? The child in me felt a similar anticipation because I couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he opened his gifts. I spent the day after Thanksgiving finding the perfect gifts. Then, I came home to wrap them, decorate our tree, and hang the wreaths. These are some of the things we do in anticipation of Christmas. One weekend, we baked, frosted and decorated cookies. I’ve listened to my favorite carols over and over, especially Celine Dion’s “Oh Holy Night”. Our family has watched “The Christmas Story” again this year. We’ve had the traditional paella dinner on Christmas eve with our family. Then, Christ’s birthday came. We ripped open our presents and gobbled lots of goodies. By Christmas Day, we’ve had our fill (literally and figuratively). The spirit of the holiday seemed to come to a screeching halt. That anticipation feeling has been replaced with the dread. Putting away all those decorations. Going back to work. Getting those credit card bills. Seeing the weight gain on the scale. Now, let’s make some resolutions and anticipate making it a wonderful new year.