Christmas De-Grinched

Kim Kovacs, BookBrowse reviewer

I have to admit I've become something of a Christmas Grinch. I don't have children, and my two cats have always shunned any gift I've purchased for them (apparently preferring toys of their own devising, like twist ties and the plastic rings off milk jugs). I'm also at that stage in my life where I have everything I need, as do my friends, so we end up exchanging gift cards: No fuss, no muss, no long lines at the store, but also not very festive. Over the years it's become too much of a chore to dig out the ornaments and set up a tree, so "decorating for Christmas" has come to mean that I've changed the wallpaper on my Blackberry to something holiday-appropriate.

I used to shop carefully for my nieces and nephew, choosing toys that I thought were both educational and fun (and, preferably, noisy, to drive my sister crazy). I'd also pick out a book for each of them, hoping that at least one would develop a love of reading (so far, no luck). I'd wrap each gift with great care and pack them into boxes, then trek over to the post office to stand in line for hours to spend a relatively large sum to get the presents across country in a timely manner. Then one Christmas my sister decided to videotape the kids unwrapping the gifts I'd so lovingly sent them. It's hard to imagine four children looking more bored and unimpressed then this quartet. "Say thank-you to Aunt Kim!" I heard my sister chirp in the background. "Thanks, Aunt Kim..." the four replied in an unconvincing monotone. It's been cash ever since.

So, Christmas has become something of a non-event at my house, and I honestly thought that was fine.

And then last night I walked into my dark condo, flipped on the light switch - and my entire living room erupted in light. My husband decided to surprise me by decorating this year. He bought a lovely little 2' tree and went through my ornaments, choosing the ones he thought would have special meaning for me. I''ve never seen a lovelier site, and couldn't have been more touched. I discovered, too, that the decision to celebrate Christmas really is important to me, far more so than I'd realized. That one gift of love and thoughtfulness seems to have restored some of my Christmas Spirit, and it's by far the best Christmas gift I've received.

I've put the Grinch suit back in the closet, where it'll probably remain for a long time to come.