I've never really had much holiday spirit of any kind - was never very against it or for it. Just basically indifferent [insert sob story about growing up poor with giftless Christmases, boo-hoo] to it all in a way that I've not been very good at articulating.

I'm a terrible gift-giver. I just can't preemptively imagine what other people want materially-speaking, and I Scrooge-ishly explain that away by claiming I'm fundamentally uncomfortable with the commercialism/religiosity combo that is modern American Christmas. Sales, discounts, pre-orders, layaways - it all skeeves me out.

I'm not very festive. Christmas lights are a lot of work. I hate the combination of green and red. Christmas movies and songs are repetitive. I'm a real grouch RE: Rudolph & Co., Kris Kringle & wide-eyed children, Christmas miracles & mangers, &c. predictably.

Last week, my wife showed me The Grinch with Jim Carrey for my first viewing ever. It's been her favorite holiday movie for years, and it's the first time that I've memorably identified with a holiday movie. I watched the cartoon right after. Altogether, it was a real breakthrough, and I think I've finally found my niche in all the seasonal joy and hoopla as "a three-decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce."

I've finally got some (anti)-holiday spirit, and it's never felt better.