This Christmas been a little weird for me.  To give you all context, I’m going to have to give you a before and after perspective.

Before

In past years, my gifts consisted primarily of baked goods.  I’d start in November and bake one batch of cookies every weekend, usually Merry Fruit cookies, Christmas shortbread, and either Viennese crescents and thumbprint cookies, or something more earthy like gingerbread and chocolate chip.  My mom would also put together some Christmas treats: hello dollies, Skor bars, and sugar cookies.

I also made two kinds of dog biscuits for my friends who owned pets: peanut butter and cheese.

These would all be stored in the freezer until it was time to put together the parcels, usually a week or two before Christmas, and the I’d get the plates and tins put together, sign all the cards, and send everything off.

Phil would often make the deliveries for me.  One year, making my own, I surprised one of our friends in his pyjamas 😉

For a few years, I also participated in cookie exchanges and got a greater mix of treats that way.

Decorations would be up the first weekend of December and be taken down January 1st.

My office Christmas party, Phil’s, the office pot-luck, and usually one or two other seasonal events usually crowded into the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Last year, I didn’t bake.  Phil and Mom did, so I was still able to put together small gifts for a few friends. The family decided not to exchange gifts (we’re all adults here).  I didn’t go to either office party and did not participate in a cookie exchange.  Due to a rearrangement of our very small living room, we no longer had room for our Christmas tree.

It was a hint of things to come.

After

This year, I just haven’t caught the Christmas spirit.

With the new acting position and all the travel it’s required, I’ve just been exhausted.  I decided, for the second year in a row, that I would not bake.  This year, neither Phil nor Mom baked cookies either.  We don’t need all that sugar and fat anyway.

The decorations didn’t get put up the first weekend in December and when I got around to it the next weekend, only the garlands for the railings, ceramic tree (our substitute for the big one), and door decorations were hauled out.  No Christmas cups, no Christmas platter, no musical Christmas slippers, and no Christmas music (something I usually play while I’m decorating).

We went to Phil’s office party (left early), but not to mine, and I happened to be absent for the pot-luck, and the BEA (Business Expertise Advisor) hive’s dinner was cancelled due to poor weather.  I made it out to a friend’s house party last night (Christmas Merriment is always that at Shirley’s), but that’s pretty much it.

Christmas dinner is at Mom’s this year, and due to changing life circumstances, Phil and I won’t be having any visitors this year.

The immediate family is buying presents, but we’ve put a limit on it.

It’s a subdued season, but I’ve decided that suits me just fine.

Grinch or Curmudgeon?

Am I being a Grinch, or a curmudgeon because I’m not caught up (for once) in the holiday hype?

I don’t think so.

I’m still celebrating, just not as much as in past years.

What do you think?

Have your Christmas celebrations changed over the years?  Have they grown more elaborate or more sedate?

Do share 🙂