I can definitely relate to poor Charlie Brown, except for the balding and being constantly referred to by first and last name. I can't get in the Christmas spirit either. As a kid you have this wonderful sense of excitement to look forward to, there is an immense build up starting with the Christmas Tree followed by school events. Without those, the magic isn't there.



My brother, sister and I had this ritual. We'd repeat "Can we put up the tree, Dad?" repeatedly, until my parents caved. It wasn't a sophisticated tactic, but it worked. They'd go off bundled in toques and scarves to the far reaches of our property, returning a half hour later with the most pathetic looking tree you could imagine. I could never picture how that hole in it would disappear but it did and was transformed into a tree I was proud of. (It's made me a bit of a tree snob, I never think other trees are nice because they are either too tacky or too martha-stewartish.)



The Christmas excitement was topped off the last week at School. There were assemblies every morning to kick off the day with Christmas carols and Friday was a half day. That day we really rocked out to Jingle Bell rock, skits would be put on, the class partied over cupcakes someone's Mom had decorated with white icing and green sprinkles, and Santa would come to humiliate the teachers. What more could a kid want?



The only event that comes close to this level of excitement is the work Christmas party. There thrown by frugal bosses, held far too early in December to have any lasting effect on Christmas cheer, and without a doubt you will do something stupid at them, but that's a post for another time.