Merry Christmas

I left my Christmas poll up longer than I have my other ones just to see how many votes I would get if I left it up more than a week. I got about 5 more votes than I averaged with my weeklong polls so I guess most people who are going to respond respond within a week of the poll being posted.

The results I thought were good, probably because I am a huge fan of Christmas even though this Christmas isn't easy for me. Most people at least like some part of Christmas, with only three respondants choosing truly negative options.

The results in their entirety:
How do you feel about the Christmas season? [27 votes total]

Love it! Love it! Love it! (8) 30%
Love the Christian aspects, the secular aspects not so much (4) 15%
Love the secular aspects, the Christian aspects not so much (2) 7%
I like Christmas, but think it's a little overdone (8) 30%
I don't celebrate Christmas, but the hoopla doesn't bother me (2) 7%
I don't celebrate Christmas, and the hoopla drives me nuts (1) 4%
I dislike the whole Christmas season (1) 4%
Hate it! Hate it! Hate it! (1) 4%

Christmas is difficult this year. Today my parents celebrated with us. Dad is having a hard time, having had a cancerous polyp removed from his colon a couple of months ago. Physically he is doing better than emotionally. He and W commiserated with one another, but then again they are more contemporaries than father-in-law/son-in-law since Dad is only 7 years older than W. My mom is basically fine, but I see the occasional signs of her going the way of her mother into eventual dementia. So it wasn't the easiest Christmas for them or for us with them. Add to that the tension between W and me, and N caught in the middle of it all. I tried to focus on providing N with a merry Christmas and to let go of my own struggles for one day. For the most part I believe we all did pretty well though there were definitely topics we just don't ever address.

We spent yesterday afternoon baking pie and making the traditional who-likes-this-stuff-anyway gelatin salad. This morning I threw a beef roast with potatoes and carrots into the slow cooker. This afternoon I made a couple of more side dishes and we had a lovely Christmas dinner. And all day, throughout it all, my thoughts continued to wander to BJ, wondering what he was doing, how his Christmas was going, and aching for Wednesday to get here so I can see him again. I've only spent two weekends in my life with him, but I miss him terribly even though we talk online or via phone each and every day. We did manage an online chat this afternoon after exchanging a couple of voicemails earlier in the day.

Wishing each of you a very merry Christmas or whatever holiday you may celebrate at this time of year. Or if you don't celebrate any holiday at all right now, then just have a wonderful day.