It's Christmas...

So, it's technically Christmas, and according to that online Santa tracker, and the presents at the end of the kids bed, Santa has already visited Ireland.

Is it just me, or does Christmas seem to lose all it's magic the older you get? It's like there's a point in life when Christmas isn't that whole important mega exciting day, and turns into another excuse to get off-your-trolley-intoxicated. Christmas, it seems, is for children, or people with children. Living with both, when neither are my parents or siblings, this has become quite apparent, especially with a new baby in the house. There has been a massive hype to the entire event, just to keep the kids happy, and at that innocent Santa believing stage.
I remember being at that stage, trying to stay up all night to catch that amazing glimpse of Santa, but eventually drifting off, only to wake up to a stack of presents, and that tiny bit of disappointment that you couldn't hold out that extra hour to see the big man. We never did the dad dressing up as Santa in my house, and to be honest, he was the same person every year until I was too old to have a Santa sack at the end of my bed; my grandmother. And to be honest, she was the best Santa ever. (She was also the Toothfairy, but that's a story for another sleepless night.)

I, like no doubt many others, have had really really shit Christmas'. Most of them in the latter years of my life on account of being old enough to understand the strain it puts on parents, the pressure to get their kids everything they want for that all important day. And being one of, at the time, seven children, there was a lot of pressure and stress around the holidays in my house. Often resulting in my forfeiting my gifts so others could get what they wanted. Not that I'm complaining. I didn't mind doing it. I guess the point I'm trying to make, through all this rambling, is that, why do people put themselves through so much stress and worry over one day of the year; decorating the house, having the perfect dinner, giving/getting everything you asked for? Why would, no should, this day (Taking all religious and other factors out, and focusing on the materialistic side) be any different to any other day?

Now, I'm not being all "Bah! Humbug!" about it all. I fact, I love Christmas! I love the tree, the food, the colours, the excitement and enjoyment that surrounds it. But why can't we, as people, put as much effort into our regular days as we do for Christmas?

Maybe I'm being an overthinker again. Possibly due to the lack of sleep, and insane night at work (Hello! Who eats pizza on Christmas Eve?! Well, appArently all of this town do!). Anyway, I'm just going to finish my hot chocolate, with the silly lamp cat lying beside me then sleep. I see a 5 am wake up call on the horizon, and it's covered in Ben 10 wrapping paper!