After the year I’ve had, and my family has had, with the loss of my mom, it’s no surprise that Christmas this year doesn’t feel like anything worth celebrating. Sure, we put up a tree but that was more for the twins (my sister-in-law Tam absolutely loves Christmas – heck, she had her Christmas cards done before Thanksgiving!) than for me. And with all the running around to get our estate planning finalized, a retirement strategy for our finances completed, Tam’s divorce paperwork in order (don’t ask!), and a high-profile project at work nearing completion the whole idea of doing Christmas up like we have in past years is just too much. So the house lights, which I actually intended to do two weeks ago, never made it out of the box.

But it’s not just our house. I took a walk down the street to the mailbox tonight and there’s just one house on our street with lights this year. Not sure what happened to the elderly gentleman up the street who always did his entire house and front up in a big way – we’re trying to find out if everything’s OK – but his house is dark, as are all the other houses who normally have lights up. Most of them are elderly, and I’m guessing they just thought it was too much of a hassle as well. So it’s just our next-door neighbor this year. He must feel as if he’s living in a Christmas oasis.

And the whole lack of Christmas extends beyond the house lights. This year the window lights will stay in storage, as will the nativity set we typically lay out on our dining room table. I’ve decided I’m not doing Christmas cards either, so any of you out there who might get concerned that there might be something wrong here because you’re not getting a card from us, don’t worry: I’m taking the year off. And who knows if I’ll even do them again. It’s a far cry from the years when I’d put on Christmas music, pour myself a scotch (or two) and go through 2+ boxes of Christmas cards.

My Christmas shopping? Less than an hour on Amazon.com.

And that classical music station out of Newport, RI that I usually listen to while working? The one that plays increasing amounts of Christmas music as the days tick down until their big Christmas extravaganza that starts at 6 PM Christmas Eve and ends – and when I say ends I mean ends – at the stroke of midnight on December 26th? It’s been replaced with George Harrison, Pink Floyd, and other Internet-based classical music stations that know nothing of Christmas.

I’m just not in the mood. And that goes for golf as well – my clubs are still in the box that was shipped back following my visit to Massachusetts in October. And, frankly, I don’t know when I’ll feel like picking them back up again. I certainly don’t right now. Maybe in the spring. Maybe after I retire, whenever that will be (ask my financial planner!). Maybe never.

I don’t mean to be a wet blanket, but the only date I’ve got circled on my calendar is January 1, when this ghastly year is over and done with. The tree comes down that day and a new year 2017 beckons. No matter what happens, it won’t be worse than 2016 has been. Oh, and then there’s January 20th, when not only will Donald Trump be inaugurated, but the day my involvement with Tam’s divorce work (again, don’t ask!) should be completed. And shortly after that I’ll celebrate by doing my odd-years only, 4-week Eades Diet during the month of February. All of this gives me something to look forward to once we get past Christmas.