The Christmas Spirit

I love Christmas.

I love the weeks that lead up to the 25th. I love shopping for gifts with my wife as well as for her. I love the Christmas songs that are played on the radio as well as going through the numerous Christmas CDs I own. I love the brightly decorated buildings along Orchard Road. I love shaking hands with the shopping mall Santas. I love sitting down to dinner on Christmas eve with my wife as we enjoy a nice store-bought-home-reheated turkey, honey-baked ham and a nice bottle of red wine. I love everything about Christmas! Especially the "Christmas Spirit" that overcomes me during this season.

Somehow this year, I can't seem to find that special "Christmas Spirit". What is the Christmas Spirit? I'm not sure if I can accurately describe it but I'll give it a go - Its that mixed feeling of joy and excitement and the "smell" of magic in the air that keeps me smiling all the time. Yes, you can actually smell it! Sadly, it seems to have vanished and I am fearful that if I don't find it before Christmas, it'll be lost for another 365 days. I can't let that happen.

So, I'm going on a hunt for this elusive feeling that sets the right tone for the coming new year. And how am I going to do this? By doing all the things I love doing during Christmas. And with a special little boy in my life now, I think that hunt will turn out to be much shorter than I expect.

The search begins...