What will my Christmas be like this year?

 Here we are in the beginning of September and that means that Christmas is just around the corner.  I think that this is when a lot of people start their planning for the holidays.  For me, not so much.  I've been planning for months.  I love Christmas and it's always on my mind.  Yes, I listen to Christmas music all year long.  I don't subject anyone else to it unless they are huge fans like I am.  Still, Christmas plays a huge part of my everyday life.  

I am looking forward to Christmas this year with both excitement and some trepidation.  This will be the first Christmas in 17 years that I will be single.  That's a tough pill to swallow.  It dawned on me the other day that I don't have anyone to ask for their Christmas list this year and I have no one who will ask me for one, either.  That made me very sad.  Of course, I will save some money....probably....because I won't be overspending on gifts for one person.  But I do plan on spreading the joy of presents beyond my normal reach and I am looking forward to that.  I've been shopping for months now and have made out my list of who I want to get things for.  That was helpful to me and filled some of the void of not having a relationship at the holidays.  And, if you know me, you know I do love the art of gift giving.  And I'm pretty damn good at it too.  I never expect anything in return even though it's nice to be thought of in that way.  

I am also looking forward to starting my decorating of the house.  I have a lot of Christmas decor that has been passed down to me from my family and from Michael's family that I love to put out.  Every available space in my house will be filled with holiday goodness.  I'm thinking of having a holiday open house this year just because I like to entertain and want others to share in the holiday magic.  We shall see.  That's still a ways off.  And this is the year that I will be getting together with my Fornes family for Christmas.  It's always a good time and Bill usually picks a fun place for all of us to gather.  My nieces are both in college, undergraduate and graduate, and so these times are very precious because I don't know how many more we will have.  But it will be a good time, most definitely.  It will be very strange for me not seeing the Abernethy clan this year over the holidays.  Maybe I will, who knows.  But it won't be in the same capacity as in years past.  But that is life and I roll with the punches.

I really am anticipating a good, yet different, Christmas this year.  My sense of tradition will kick in but that's not too unusual because it never really goes away LOL.  There will be a tree.  There will be presents.  There will be decorations.  There will be wonderful foods and music and time with friends.  It will be different, but it will be.