Christmas
What is Christnas to me? I’m not sure what my real reasons are for celebrating. I’m certainly no devout christian, although I do want and try to make it about more than the gifts.
The time off: At it’s most basic, I like Christmas because it gives me time off from work for several days at once. A mini vacation in the midst of the cold weather. I’d hesitate to call it relaxing, but in someways it slows the pace of life down. I’m forced away from my typical daily activities and I just am. I used to use the time off to sleep late, but that seems to be changing.
Thinking: To me, Christmas and New Years is a tine for introspection. I think on the year gone by, how it went, how I want things to go in my life in the coming year, things I want to inprove about myself. Not resolutions really – rather a year plan. Goals. Guidelines. Hopes.
Family: But of course. Although they drive me absolutely nutty, and I often flee to empty rooms for some desparate time alone, in a lot of ways we’ve evolved into the kind of family I’d hoped we’d be. Extended, but close. There’s always tons of people around, the kids get to be with their Aunts and Uncles and cousins, something I never had growing up. I don’t think I could handle it bgeing like this all year, but one week out of 52 is good 
I hope your holidays have all been wonderful. Best wishes.