{"id":1986,"date":"2014-08-15T11:48:00","date_gmt":"2014-08-15T11:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mymerrychristmas.com\/x\/confessions-of-a-christmas-creeper\/"},"modified":"2014-09-08T21:21:42","modified_gmt":"2014-09-08T21:21:42","slug":"confessions-of-a-christmas-creeper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mymerrychristmas.com\/x\/confessions-of-a-christmas-creeper\/","title":{"rendered":"Confessions of a Christmas Creeper"},"content":{"rendered":"

My kids go back to school this week. Most parents rejoice at this kind of event and I\u2019m one of them. <\/p>\n

The lone exceptions amongst parents are those who send their kids away to school for the first time. Being a teacher\u2019s aide I see it happen every year. A brave kid, fighting back tears maybe and wide-eyed with anticipation heads into a classroom for the first time while a worried mama gives him a tender hug \u2013 like he\u2019s going off to war. It\u2019s a Kodak moment, for sure.<\/p>\n

Not me. I practically boot my kids out of the car these days. If there are tears shed by me they are tears of sheer delirium. <\/p>\n

To me there is no bigger Christmas<\/a> moment than when the kids are out of my hair, the husband is at work, the plan for dinner is cereal or do-it-yourself sandwiches, and I\u2019ve got nothing but an upfront parking space to look for at the Hobby Lobby. <\/p>\n

Yes, I\u2019m a Christmas<\/a> creeper. <\/p>\n

I am one of those who actually looks at all the Christmas<\/a> stuff at Costco in the dead heat of August. When Michael\u2019s sets up their aisles of holiday fluff I\u2019m there. If McDonald\u2019s had the eggnog<\/a> shake right now, I\u2019d buy it. <\/p>\n

The media is going to complain about it. But I\u2019m all for drippy Christmas<\/a> movies on Hallmark, blaring the Christmas<\/a> shows on QVC, and even blasting Perry Como in the car. <\/p>\n

The more it annoys other people the more I delight in it. <\/p>\n

What the complainers about Christmas<\/a> do not understand is that for some of us Christmas<\/a> isn\u2019t about Christmas<\/a> Day. Or even Christmas<\/a> Eve. Or even December. <\/p>\n

It is about anticipation. <\/p>\n

We relish it. We delight in it. The wait and the building and the anticipation of Christmas<\/a> is<\/em> Christmas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The fun of Christmas<\/a> comes just as much from creating it, building it and planning for it as it is actually watching someone open a Christmas<\/a> surprise. <\/p>\n

Put a bow on this time of year. It is Christmas<\/a> enough for me. <\/p>\n

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