We are four days into December and my de-Grinch-ification efforts are going well. Presents have been purchased, although not wrapped. We have a tree with ornaments. We have candles, Advent and non-Advent.

I signed up for the gift exchange at work. ME! The Grinch! Signing up for an extra gift purchase! Am I having a stroke?

It was my birthday on Monday. This is the fifth time in my life that my birthday has fallen on the Monday after Thanksgiving, but the first time since 2014. It has been a while!

I am actually a big fan of my birthday’s place on the calendar. December 1 is parked right up next to Thanksgiving, but I’ve never felt like that was a detriment. It’s very separate from Christmas, but still within the Christmas season, which I think makes it more special.

But the Monday after Thanksgiving is a terrible day for a birthday! As I kept saying at work that day, “this is a very Monday Monday.” I know everyone makes fun of that Office Space meme “looks like someone’s got a case of the Mondays” but I truly do struggle on Mondays. Weekend Casey has to relearn what Work Casey does during the week, and working in a school means that shit comes at you hard and fast no matter what day it is. The Monday after the glorious four-day weekend was particularly tough.

But so it goes with adult birthdays, and I did not cook a single meal on my birthday and my family got me a puzzle and a new Nintendo game. No complaints!

It feels like winter here now, which I think is contributing to my general Christmas cheer. It is already time for mittens and hats! I don’t remember the last time we had so much snow and cold in December! It may or may not last, but it’s nice to feel like we might get a real winter this year.

Did I tell you I bought my kids Advent calendars? ME! The Grinch! Advent calendars! I don’t generally approve of Advent calendars. Who needs one more thing to remember to purchase every year? Who needs one more thing hanging around the house for a month? Who needs one more reason to add more candy to your diet in December?

But the kids seem to really like them, and the promise of a tiny piece of candy behind a little cardboard door has been surprisingly effective for getting my youngest out of bed on cold winter weekday mornings. (I only get out of bed during the week because of the promise of hot coffee in my favorite Yoshi mug, so I get it.)

Also we have a gas fireplace in this new house and wow that has been a nice addition to my lifestyle. I literally push a button on the remote control and suddenly have a lovely little fire going in the living room. I think this might be contributing to my Christmas cheer as well. Is it insane that we run the fire almost every day now? It is insane, right?