171.0 Christmas in February

It happens every Christmas. Family members will ask me what I want for Christmas and my mind goes blank. I really can't think of things that I want. But when I go out shopping for others, I see all sorts of things I want and buy them for myself. I don't know if this is a common response to all the glitz and exciting energy that I find in the stores or what, but those shopping hormones, as I call them, get sitrred up in me and Christmas can become more about me than others.

One of the things I bought myself just before Christmas this year was an Amaryllis bulb in a box. I didn't get it started until mid January and now it is gorgeous. Jeff always gets Paper Whites and Amaryllis plants mixed up and starts bemoaning the fact that the house will smell like urine. I do have to agree with him that I too respond to Paper Whites in that negaative way. But just look at that Amaryllis! It doesn't have a fragrance and is simply beautiful.

In the old days I used to bake a lot and buy a lot and eat a lot of sweets to please myself around Christmas. Now I'm going to buy an Amaryllis each year and watch it grow. It's a wonderful way to treat myself instead of using food to celebrate.