Christmas always goes according to plan

Faint wafts of Christmas pop tracks, over-worn Santa hats and the musty smell of pine from the Christmas pulled from their storage rooms warn me that Christmas is right around the corner. It is, in actual fact, tomorrow.

Christmas used to be my favourite holiday as a kid. Used to be. It is never good when something used to be. It has to be. It is not now. Now I am at sea, Christmas is one of the days I least look forward to.

It is not like I want to turn Grinch-like and hide in my room or steal Christmas. Its just Christmas is an exhausting day filled with families with at least one drunk person who thinks he is funny. Yes, it is usually a guy and yes I do wish I was just as drunk as him. I am not. Instead I have to try and get him to keep a straight face long enough for the second I need to snap the picture. Sounds easy enough roght? It is anything but. The reward? No Christmas presents, Christmas lunch or any traditions that make it feel like Christmas.

I try to make it happen. This year, I wore a Christmas hat for ten minutes until it got too hot. I watched a Christmas movie. Nightmare before Christmas is not depressing at all, right? We even tried to do Secret Santa so you get at least one Christmas present no matter how sad your life is. After last year where I spent $100 on a nice bag for my giftee and getting a cheap pair of earrings when my ears were not even pierced it just lost the vibe. The best thing about getting a gift is that, no matter how bad it is somebody cared enough to get it for you. Its the thought that counts. When Secret Santa turns gift-giving into a forced decision it somehow loses its meaning.

Don't worry, I am going somewhere with this endless rant of bitching. Although I would do anything to be back home, the Christmas there was not that spectacular anyway. My sister was admitted to hospital with acute pancreatitis. Christmas day was spent at the hospital with me on the other end of the world, worrying. That Christmas definitely did not go according to plan.

Every Christmas is different. No matter how wonderful or crappy it turned out the point of it is putting a Santa hat at least one, singing a cheesy Christmas carol at least once and making some kind of effort to be with your family. Whether that may be a Skype call, a message or, heavens knows, actually showing up for Christmas at least you can walk away saying you have tried. That is the most important thing after all. It is kot being naughty or nice. It is saying I've tried.