It's Beginning To Smell A Lot Like Christmas

Can you smell that? The wonderful scents of the holidays, gingerbread cookies, a fresh Christmas tree, cinnamon apples, and of course the occasional bouquet of holiday bullshit. With Christmas just around the corner my tinsel senses are definitely tingling. They are warning me to go lock myself in a room with cheese and crackers, not come out for a week and avoid all human contact. Before you start calling me Scrooge or think that I am acting like a Grinch, you need to be aware of the dangers that are lurking for me in the fruitcake forest. This year instead of relaxing at home in sunny, 78 degree weather with no family; I have decided to endure one of the roughest, self deflating, undertakings that only few have dared to achieved and less have survived. I am talking about traveling to see the family over the holidays. I haven't been back in my hometown for Christmas in four years and with many good reasons that I will not frighten you with now. I almost made it to five, but my daughter wants an old fashion family Christmas with her Grandparents and I just couldn't refuse her. Is it worth the risk of 10 days of petty family arguing, cold rainy weather, and accepting the fact that I would leave behind the only creatures that have any respect for me on this planet...my dogs? You bet it is. I can behave for my daughter and make it a special time for her. She is very excited about visiting family, seeing the Christmas decorations, and of course all the wonderful scents of holiday cooking, but she may notice an odd aroma along with the baking goodies.  One she doesn’t get a whiff of very often, but under the circumstances there it is.   A fragrance that needs to be added to the list of holiday nose candy.  The smell of my own fear.