How The JOB Stole Christmas...

The holiday season has always been a favorite of mine. It all starts with that big Thanksgiving dinner (what is better than a holiday that is centered around EATING?) and ends with a party to ring in the new year. The weather changes and you feel that chill in the air. We obviously don't get snow in L.A. but it's exciting when you can see snow on the mountains and it gets down in the 30's at night. It actually starts to feel like winter. We turn the heater on and I get to wear all those cute jackets and boots I've been storing the whole year.

Well, there is nothing that puts a bigger damper on your holiday spirit than a stressful job, where you are the MOST busy

this time of year. I work in the liquor business and people love to drink during the holidays. The last few months have just been insane. And the last few weeks have just gotten more and more crazy. Working a lot of 15-hour days and not getting enough sleep. I hadn't put out any of my Christmas decorations, sent out any Christmas cards, done very much Christmas shopping (highly unusual!). I began to curse my job and curse the holidays in general. So I was actually counting down the days until the season is over.

But after last weekend, Paul and I retrieved our Christmas stuff from storage and I began setting up the lights and the tree and

my pretty nativity scene. When I was through with the living room, I realized how bad the rest of the house looked in comparison. So my husband humored me and spent his day off helping me clean. Like, REALLY clean. Now the house feels so warm and cozy and happy that you can't help but be in the Christmas spirit.

I still have plenty to do, but at least I'm in the right mindset to have a Merry Christmas. I just gotta remember to slow down every once in awhile and the best way to do that is to park myself on the couch and enjoy my cozy living room.