Let me start by saying I love the Christmas season! Maybe not to Buddy the Elf levels, but I love it. The past few years have been less than stellar, and this year is bordering on depressing. I’m trying to keep up a cheerful front for my kids, but it just seems like every year we are more and more alone.

I’ve tried to do things to foster more holiday spirit, by organizing gift drives, taking the kids to activities with their youth group, etc. but it’s so different from the holidays of my youth, when we had lots of parties, family, baking, and all the stereotypical stuff...😉

This year, my family isn’t coming to visit, and it’s hit me hard, just because I’ve been in such a state of sadness anyway of late. We recently moved, and I’d hoped to have a large gathering at our new house, but the furnace died over the weekend, and the HVAC people can’t fix it until the end of this week. Not only are we alone this Christmas, but we’ll also be freezing in our new beautiful home. I just want to go to bed and sleep through it all.