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First, let me apologize to my loyal readers for my recent absence. I promise not to repeat this lapse going forward.

Holly Funk is the term I use to describe the letdown after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season. There is no better time of year than those six weeks from mid-November to the end of December when we spend time with family and friends, acknowledging our blessings and the events of the past year(s), sharing laughs and building excitement for what is yet to be.

I have always loved Christmas; even after my father had a friend dress as Santa and pay a visit to me and Gerry one Christmas morning. I was probably 2-3 years old and I was so afraid of him I cried until he left, but I never gave up on jolly Saint Nick and the belief in him and the great surprises he would bring my way.

Christmas became even more fun after my nephew Tom arrived. We relived the magic of the season with him and once again saw it through a child’s eyes.

Years later my home became the Christmas holiday destination for my family. My love for the time of year almost turned into an obsession. Not a room went undecorated, everyone’s favorite treats awaited them, and I took great pains in planning the family meals. What was the most fun was being able to spoil our parents after years of them focusing solely on us.

I’m not quite the over-the-top holiday decorator I used to be (who has the energy any more) but my enthusiasm for the season has not wavered. Which is why December 31 is one of the saddest days of the year for me as it officially marks the end of the Christmas holiday. Removing all the decorations is a process I drag out over the course of a couple of weeks, with the tree the last to go.

Now we enter the season of lists: resolutions, projects, broken resolutions and how to spend the anticipated bonus or income tax return if we are lucky and there is anything left after paying bills. While none of these is as exciting as Christmas. I guess we’ll muddle through as best we can.

At least the days have begun to get longer and if you are like me, even the hint of extra daylight is exciting. That and the dream of my next beach trip are the only things that help me out of my Holly Funk.

So as I close this post, I send my best wishes to all and wish for everyone a very good year.