Along with this jolly season of holiday cheer, bright Christmas lights and the urge to bake and decorate–and eat–cookies every.single.day. there also comes another season here on my planet–the freakin’ freezin’ season of gloom. Where we live, the sun escapes and leaves us with a grayish gloom from December until about February–give or take a miracle or three in there. See my face? Oh, you can’t? Well, tisn’t impressed.
As I have said many, many times around these parts, I am solar powered. Without sunshine, I’m rendered utterly inert. No go juice, no go. In the five years since we moved to the edge of the sun’s reach this time o’ year(see the shadows, Simba? You must never go there), I’ve learned to expect it and to attempt to compensate in a variety of ways–unfortunately none of my attempts include actually going someplace warm and sunny *shakin’ head*.
I’m a windows-wide-open-every-light-in-the-house-on kind of gal, so the curtains are open wide for the few hours of daylight–however gray they may be–we are graced with (I know, you’d think I live north of the Arctic Circle the way I carry on, but hey we all cope in our own ways)and every light in the house blazes brightly against said gloom. The Christmas tree twinkles merrily from the corner for weeks…okay, months–sometimes even until the sun returns to stay come spring. *nods*
In the past couple of years, I’ve actively planned w-i-n-t-e-r projects that are intentionally designed to bring me light and joy–well, I do that all the time but somehow purposefully labeling a project as something designed to be kickass this time o’ year helps a bit. This time last year I did a ‘learn by heart’ project where I chose something I’d like to have committed to memory and learned it. Before that was the year I decided to leave my pretty, bright Christmas tree up until March 1st. (believe it, tis truth). 
This year I still plan to leave my tree up and I’ve made my learn by heart project a lifetime thing, and now I’m adding the pursuit of sappy Christmas movies and reading Christmas stories to my season. I’ve never done this before, I spose there is a time and place and mood for everything? The Hallmark Channel on my television has provided a nearly infinite list of gloriously sappy Christmas movies–some really good, others lame-yet-good, every one predictable, emotional and, in the end, sparkly.
So, tell me, what’s this time of year like for you? Once the Christmas jolly-ness fades, how do you keep merry and bright? Do tell…
