axioms of christmas

It's hard to get my head around Christmas and the fact that it is only 9 days away, especially when my current little world involves grasping the different concepts of utility, revising a manuscript for publication, and researching material for yet another thesis chapter.

In attempt to maximize my holiday utility, I share my axioms of Christmas:

1) Decorate the house with tinsel and lights to get yourself in the holiday mood. In case that doesn't work, put Christmas tunes in the disk changer and select the random mode. I assure you, as an added bonus, that you'll be singing carols to your partner as soon as you get up in the morning.

2) Organize a Christmas potluck lunch, or -- as it is more commonly known here -- a bring-your-own-food-to-share-with-others-lunch-buffet, in your office. Don't take a list of what everyone intends to bring so you'll end up having lunch consisting of cakes, mincemeat pies, and gingerbread cookies and end up being wired from a sugar rush the entire afternoon.

3) Run in the nearby park wearing everything fleecy (jacket, toque, and mitts) when the day's high is predicted to be 2 degrees or take a pilates class at the leisure centre to work off the effects of the desserts-for-lunch lunch. Please note, when the instructor says "if this class is your first time taking pilates, don't do this advanced move", listen to him so you can avoid looking like a fool when you lose balance and fall to the ground in a loud thump.

4) Make homemade gifts to counteract the efforts of the commercialism of Christmas and to avoid waiting in long queues. The living room is littered with strands of coloured yarns and the finished projects are tucked away to one corner. This afternoon will be devoted to making shortbread cookies to take to school while my partner works on his income tax forms.

Happy Holidays, everyone!