So, the countdown continues. Gotta get moving on this Christmas thing. Gotta find my Christmas Spirit.

We moved to Japan in 1999. That must have been the year my Christmas Spirit  began to make its plans for the great escape. I think it may have been scared off by the neon pink plastic poinsettias and baby blue and orange candy canes lining the path to Santa’s workshop. That was the very first time I ever saw pastel and/or neon color themes for Christmas. It struck me as funny. I found it quite entertaining really and I got used to it.  Still, for some reason it just seemed so wrong.

In August 2006 we moved to Singapore. Here is where Christmas Spirit just fell, first into a catatonic stupor, then eventually into a complete coma. It was difficult to achieve any level of Christmas Spirit in 90 Degree weather with 89% humidity. Every day was the same as far as the weather went. It was hard to tell December from June and I found myself living some kind of Ground Hog Day nightmare. I just need those seasonal changes. Those changes are important reminders to me that I need to do something different; that a change is supposed to happen.

I think I can pin point the exact moment Christmas Spirit collapsed completely into a pile of brain dead mush.

It was Christmas Eve 2007. By then I had been working full time, so not only did my brain miss cues due to a lack of seasonal change, I was just busy, distracted and often too unmotivated to do anything else outside of work and house work. Before I knew it, It was Christmas Eve and not a present had been bought. Nope not a one.

I think I had been waiting for my husband to take initiative. He’s great and always helpful, but all the holiday planning, prepping and doing usually always falls on me. I guess I just took over that role many years ago and it sorta stuck.

Christmas Eve 2007 my husband finally said to me “What are the plans for Christmas?” Thats what he said, but what he really said with his tone was “ Damn, woman, It’s Christmas Eve and you haven’t done sh%t, what are we gonna do?”

So, off we went to the mall. We made a quick stop at the ATM, I doled out money and we went our separate ways. Within about two hours we were home and the wrapping began. Within a couple of more hours the gifts were under the tree. Whew. But Christmas Spirit was no where to be found.

Now, here we are a few years later, another Christmas upon us. We are now living in Washington state USA where the air is cool and crisp and is the very loud warning bell I need to get myself ready for the Holidays. So, in an attempt to revive my Christmas Spirit, Iv’e started with the  simple task of sorting through the ornaments, many of which have become a little chipped and nicked over the years. Perhaps a trip to the local mall for some ornament shopping would help. Possibly.

Um did I miss something? As I stood there in the aisle of one of my favorite stores in search of that one sparkly, shiny perfect ornament that would for sure resuscitate my sickly Christmas Spirit I spotted (yep, you guessed it) baby blue and orange candy canes and pink (though not neon) poinsettias!

I had to laugh. This took me back to Singapore and a friend of mine who I often would help with the  holiday decorating of our neighborhood club . She was a wonderful, vibrant, creative, Indian woman. I loved her colorful personality. However, when it came to understanding the idea of decorating for Christmas, well – let me just say her color schemes were a bit off.

She loved to decorate with fake flowers. Bright purple, pink, yellow and blue roses and carnations. It didn’t matter what the holiday or theme, any color was a perfect color. Finally one day when she tried to pass off an orange table cloth for a Christmas party, I just had to put my foot down. I gave her a brief lecture on proper color etiquette for Christmas. “No Orange. No Way. And really, no bright pink or blue either. Sorry, It just isn’t right.”

Well, I am offering her a public apology right here and now. Apparently I have no idea what I am talking about! Baby blue, pink, orange – even black appear to have taken over as the new red and green! Who would have thought?

Now I am off to purchase some lime green mistletoe. Christmas Spirit seems to be showing some signs of brain activity, but still clings to life in the ICU.