Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays...

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE Christmas. It is, by far, my favorite holiday. Growing up, I loved decorating my room for Christmas. I had my own mini Christmas tree, and I'd string white lights along the ceiling. And for the month of December, the Christmas lights were the only lighting I'd turn on. My past roommates may find this a shock, but I never decorated before the socially acceptable time--I waited until Thanksgiving was good and over. But something happened to me when I went off to college, and I started decorating earlier and earlier. Each year got worse, until it wasn't even Halloween yet, and I was itching to put up Christmas lights and turn on the holiday music. (Don't worry, I started buying Halloween decorations to satisfy my urge, and I'm fairly sure that my Christmas decorations never went up until after October... barely. haha)

I think the cause of my premature Christmas excitement was that I never went home for Thanksgiving--it cost too much money for too short of a visit. And although I never had Thanksgiving alone--there was always a roommate's family to eat with, or a group of college students staying behind who were eating together--but it's just not the same when it's not your family. So in my mind, I skipped over Thanksgiving completely. To me, it was simply a few days off of school and a yummy meal, which was nice but not a big deal.

This year, however, I haven't felt excited at all. I haven't even thought much about Christmas. As I was running through Walmart the day before Halloween to get a few things, I saw Christmas candy in the candy aisle and Christmas outfits in the baby section, and I thought to myself, "Seriously?! Halloween isn't even over yet! What are you people thinking?". I did buy Naomi a Santa dress and hat, but only because I didn't want them to run out of her size, and it was adorable.

A few days ago, I realized what was causing my disinterest in the holidays this year: It was the first year that I wasn't going to see my family at all. Not only that, but I have been wanting SO badly to get home so that my dad can meet my baby girl. She's 7 months old, and he still hasn't been able to see her, and it's been killing me. I wanted him to meet his beautiful granddaughter! But I just couldn't figure out a way that we could pay to fly home. And this depressed me so much that I started to do to Christmas what I have been doing to Thanksgiving for the past 6 years.

But two days ago, I bought plane tickets! Somehow, we found a way to make it work financially, and I found some good prices, and we are going home to Pennsylvania! And when I bought the tickets, it was like I turned on a switch. I suddenly had a strong desire to turn on Christmas music and put up Christmas lights and run to Walmart for new Christmas decorations. But don't worry! I promise to contain my excitement and not to start decorating until the socially acceptable time.

But maybe I'm only making that promise because all of our decorations are in storage. :)