So this is Christmas

Or was Christmas. Doesn't really matter all that much, I suppose. It's funny how things don't really seem to measure up after a while. Remember when you were a kid, and Christmas was THE most exciting thing ever? Nothing could compete with Christmas. The magic, the wonder, the experience of the whole thing culminated into a wonderful time to be had.

And there were presents. Lots of them. Which was nice.

But as I grew older (and yes, I am borrowing heavily from The Polar Express here), the magic of the Christmas season began to diminish. It's probably due to the fact that most of Christmas is a farce; a holiday, while strong in tradition, has been transformed into a time of Sunday ads and heavy media buys.

I understand this and am perfectly okay with it. I'm in advertising. I play Halo 2 on my Xbox, watch movies on my Toshiba television and DVD player, and listen to my iPod everyday. Fact is, I understand consumerism. Hell, it's kind of what I do. So I'm not being negative about commercialism - that would be hypocritical of me.

I guess this was one of the first Christmases for the SockMama and I where we didn't really get to enjoy the "feel" of the season. You know, the one that kind of gets you moving a little faster, burning a little warmer. Yeah, this year, it just wasn't there. Of course, it might have something to do with the fact that our presents to each other came in the form of a $1,500 transmission overhaul (and it wasn't even wrapped!).

Well, at least no one in our immediate family was hurt, maimed, imprisoned, or otherwise in danger this year.

Which is nice.