On Excitement

I wrote the following email this morning to a friend of mine I went out with last night. It's a simple email, but its subject has really been poking at me all day. His simple questions of "Is (Sweetie) excited about...." such & such, or "Are you excited about...." such and such, and my blaise answers of, "yeah, whatever, I guess, I don't know." Well, I just felt bad for being such a humbug.

My original post title here was "An Email to a (Childless) Friend)". But I replaced that with the title above. I thought, at first, that it was important to note this friend I saw doesn't have any kids. My wanting, I guess, to show the why of my humbuggishness. "I'm a parent, so I'm busy, and I've got to make the holidays fun for my Sweetie, I don't have time for me! Something you, without kids, wouldn't/couldn't possible understand." But then I thought better. Anyone can be stressed at this time of year. Anyone can hit a pocket of humbug attitude. Not just those with little kids.

Anyway. It all made me take a good pause. Considering what it is about the season that will bring excitement to my day. I hope your days, whatever your family looks like, are filled with joy and excitement as well.

And, with that...

Hi (Friend),


Thank you again for another fun visit, and for the dinner. I'm glad we found places to go other than the chaotic B&N! That was crazy!

I also apologize because I feel I was a bit of a downer, what with my humbug-y attitude toward Christmas and my responses to your questions about general excitement over upcoming events in our household. I guess I just think (and nothing against you at all!) that that's just a silly question - "Are you excited about ______?" because my definition of true excitement is jumping up and down absolute giddiness, and I just don't see anyone ever acting that way over anything as a general rule, except for kids, of course, getting excited about whatever fun thing is coming up in their lives. :) And to that end - yes - I asked (Sweetie) this morning if she was excited for the school Christmas concert tomorrow and she did give me a big smile, a little hop of joy, and a definite "Yes!" answer of excitement. So there you go - excitement lives! And, yes, of course she's excited about her birthday and Christmas. With her birthday first - and the knowledge that all her friends can come to her party and she's getting an awesome Lego birthday cake! - I definitely think that's at the forefront of her mind. Then after that, it's so exciting for her that Christmas is just a few days away. Like I said last night, it's a big week for her, with her birthday and family gatherings and presents, etc...

For adults, though - and I think maybe especially for parents of young kids - this time of year is really crazy busy and stressful and just has a ton of things to get done, all outside of the work schedule, which for both (Hubby) and I is busier seeming this year than in other recent years. Not enough time to get excited - just have to go, go, go. I'll be excited, though, on Christmas Eve, after (Sweetie's) to bed and all the gifts are under the tree, the stockings are filled, and we are "done." Being done with all the prep work and only having the fun day of Christmas left to look forward to will be great and very exciting! I can't wait for that. Not for Christmas to be over, but for the preparations to be done and the time comes to be excited with/for (Sweetie) about what we'll all find under the tree on Christmas morning.

SO - there you go. I'm a bit of a humbug now, but it will all be great and exciting in the end. Gotta get through this craziness in order to make Christmas as magical as possible, after all. :)

Well, have a great day, a good week, and a wonderful holiday! Thanks again for everything.
 
Amy