Virtual Advent: Christmas Love and Hate

The Virtual Advent Tour is one of my favorite events of the year as everyone shares something they love about the holidays.

But each year it gets harder and harder for me to think of something to write about. I've already written about the Christmas music I love, my favorite Christmas movie, my favorite Christmas treats, and the religious significance of the holiday for me. In fact, every idea I had I realized I had already written about in some way in these posts.

So I'm totally flipping things for this year and I hope no one is offended. I want to share with you all the things that annoy me or I find difficult about the holidays.

I love Christmas. Even when everything is falling apart in my life, I love it and look forward to it. But I'm not necessarily great at all the Christmas stuff so here's what's hard for me:

1) Wrapping presents. Ugh I am the ABSOLUTE worst. Like, seriously my presents look like my six year old niece wrapped them. Though that might be a bit of an insult to her, I don't know. I'm just too impatient to carefully measure out the wrapping paper and have a terrible eye for guessing how much it will take. Plus, I just find it unfun.

2) Sending Christmas cards. I LOVE to receive Christmas cards and theoretically I love the idea of sending them, especially nowadays I think they mean even more to be honest. Like, it's super easy to electronically communicate and sending an actual physical card may not be necessary for keeping in touch, but it's deeply personal and speaks to the fact you are willing to spend a little extra time on the people you care about. I buy cards every year and fantasize about sending them but they are usually late if they get sent at all. And again I have awful handwriting that kind of ruins the pretty cards. I just think it's so sad how this tradition is dying, though.

3)Traffic and Crowds. I am generally a patient person in crowds but lately I'm having serious rage issues, I don't know what's wrong with me. I just have no patience for all the little ways in which people are selfish while they are out and about and then there's also just all the natural waiting and stuff. Ugh, I'm going to be a shut-in in a few years I just know it.

Okay I feel guilty for marring up the Virtual Advent with my complaining so how about some things I love?

1) Christmas Lights! I love looking at Christmas lights and I love how they represent that no matter how dark it gets there is always a light somewhere.

2) Cheesy Christmas movies! I love them and can't seem to get enough of them. They are the perfect way to soothe my ragey edges these days.

3) Reconnecting with family and friends. I love that at Christmas looking for gifts necessitates thinking about the people you love. As I was working on some of my smaller gifts this year, I couldn't help but feel so much love for my gift recipients. What joy to even have people in my life to love and celebrate. YES I AM HUGELY SENTIMENTAL AND CHEESY, SORRY.

Happy Holidays everyone! To leave you with some cute Christmas cheer, please enjoy the adorable Larry the Cucumber waiting for Santa. (trust me it's adorbs and brings back all the happy memories for me!!)