Well, I had some GREAT xmas when I was a kid. But i grew up, and my teen years erased those memory. I always spent xmas with my family, but my father hates xmas due to some crazy shit my grandpa did to him on his childhood (not anything physical, but psychological stuff), so he was always grumpy and ended having very heated arguments with my mom on xmas eve, so when I was about 15, I decided not to join this anymore, I spent the following 3 or 4 xmas eves on the front of my computer using IRC, which was depressing, as no one used it at that time heeh Now, it is also kinda sad, because my wife always wants to go to her parents', and I need to go to my mum's, so it always kinda sad having xmas away from her (well, the houses are 3 minutes away by car, but it's still away from her and my daughters). This year, due to my daughter's surgery, we will spend it together, but it will be weird with Zoe on casts from toes to the abdomem, one week after the surgery. We hired a fake Santa Claus to come and try to entertain her, but I dunno. Making a long story short, xmas is kinda of a sour moment to me, so I am always kinda sad when it arrives.
Xmas is cool if you live it, like Jeff's family. It can be a real magic moment but it needs to be real and felt by everybody. It's a pity it is not my case.
Btw, Jeff, it's been a while since I don't have a hot chocolate (well, it's almost 95 degree here, so hot chocolate is not exactly a nice thing here hehe). But one day your door will be knocked and a grumpy short guy will be asking for hot chocolate and eggnog
I just lock up and let it pass me by like most social constructs every year. Not watching TV, and those hideous Christmas specials really helps it along.
