Missing Christmas

This is the time of the year when I long for Christmas. The smell of a cinnamon candle burning, sugar cookies and pine (even if I have to buy the pine scent in a can from Bath and Body Works). I long for jeans and a sweater (even though in Texas, we don't get to wear sweaters that much. I still have all of my wool sweaters from college in a box under my bed because I just know someday I'm going to get to wear them. I will be incredibly out of style but at least I'll wear some great memories!) I long for the glow of our Christmas tree in the family room and the way the house looks outside with all of the twinkly white lights. I long for the magic of the season when everything seems a little lighter and more exciting (the magic of Christmas is also the magic I feel at Disney World. It's hard to put into words but it's a feeling deep in my soul that if I could bottle up and sell, I would). I long for Christmas cards in the mail instead of just bills. I long for Christmas carols on the radio nonstop and yes, I'm one of those people who would love for them to start the day after Halloween. I long for the rush of the mall and the craziness of Toys R Us (I know I'm mostly alone here but if you park at the very back of the lot and choose to walk a long ways to the door, you will learn to hate the mall and Toys R Us less). I long for the hope of a white Christmas even though we've only had one of those in Texas since I moved here in 1998. I long for being able to threaten my kids that Santa is watching them and that I just saw him peek in the window. I long for a gingerbread latte at Starbucks. I long for the trip to see Santa and watch the kids tell him what they want for Christmas (even if they tell him something that I'm not expecting or haven't even thought of buying and then have to figure out where to buy this new mystery item with only 2 days left before Christmas). I long for the candlelight service at church and the lump in my throat when we sing "Away in a Manger." I long for that Paul McCartney song "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time" if for no other reason than it drives Hudson crazy and I know all the words. I long to say "Merry Christmas!" to the cashier at Target instead of "Have a nice day." I long for a Christmas Coke and the tradition my Gramps started all those years ago. I long for that M&M's commercial on TV where the two M&M's realize Santa is real. I long to watch "The Santa Claus" (I only allow myself to watch this between Thanksgiving and Christmas every year). I long for the 24 hour marathon of "The Christmas Story" ("You'll shoot your eye out!"). I long to hear the little conversations between Hayden and Owen upstairs in bed about Santa. I long for cooler weather...much cooler. Mostly, I long for the whole season. It really is true what the old song says..."It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!" Merry Christmas...just a little early!