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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, December 18, 2014 | 18 S Seven sleeps left to get the Yuletide on and Santa arrives For the most part, I (gasp) like Christmas. Kicking off the season For me, the Christmas season of cially opens not on Labour Day weekend, when I received an odd invite to come pick up a department store's Christmas catalogue (for what, kindling?), and not on the day after Halloween when malls begin throwing up decorations and clogging their sound systems with incongruous carols. No, for me the season starts on the rst weekend of December when we decorate the house. Admittedly, there have been years when we were tardy getting into the festive mood, and times when life was giving us the business and we barely got a stocking up on the mantle... But for the most part, December arrives and we wrap the house in spirit. At some point in December, my wife and I document the gifts we need to buy for o, dear readers, have you decked the halls with boughs of holly? Are the stockings hung by the fake replace with great care? Have you shopped `until you dropped, or surfed for online acquisitions to the point of ocular exhaustion, or carpal tunnel syndrome? Is your house redolent of scrumptious scents and Yuletide yummies? If not, what are you waiting for? Seriously, it's time. Only seven more sleeps until Santa Claus comes to town. Time to get wrapped up in the season. Time to don your elf underpants and the uber-ugly Christmas sweater weird Uncle Willard gave you, pour a tall eggnog, and get your Yuletide on. Personally, I have indeed been swept up. I realize I occasionally come off as a Scrooge, but that's just the grumpy old man in me, a pretense, an anti-festive façade. That's Life ger than the eye can see, or the mind can fathom. But somehow it always gets done. Christmas morning Granted, on Christmas morning, as we set about prepping the day's dinner, there's invariably an item or two missing. But isn't improvisation oftentimes the best part of cooking? Finally, throughout the Christmas season, my wife bakes. Filling the house with wondrous aromas, and every container we own with an insane assortment of holiday goodies, which she then hides in ingenious places around the house so the kids cannot prematurely nd and feast. Each spring I nd them in the oddest places, neatly Tupperware-d and tucked away, forgotten. Hmmm. Maybe we should host an Easteresque cookie hunt. Seven sleeps until Santa. I'm all itchy on account of my ugly Christmas sweater. Oh, and I've got my Yuletide on. -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, found on Facebook www.facebook.com, or followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thesportjesters. Andy Juniper Guest Contributor Sexual aSSault & Violence interVention SerViceS (SaViS) of Halton · free anti-violence presentations to businesses/associations/schools · free confidential counselling · free 24-hour support line - anyone may call: 905.875.1555 905.825.3622 · Toll free: 877.268.8416 · www.savisofhalton.org friends and family. Historically, this list is created late one night, over Chardonnay. Typically, in the sobering light of dawn, we share a minor nervous breakdown over the imposing length of the list. Then we ef ciently and effectively divide and set out to conquer. Next up on the Christmas calendar is my wife's of ce party. As a guy who works alone at home, an of ce party is a rare bird to behold. And as a guy who lives in the country, the overnight in Toronto is a treat. But mostly, I just look forward to catching up with wonderful people, most of whom I haven't seen in 12 long months. Post-party, there is a litany of lists to be made: liquor, grocery, and to-do lists lon- Follow Oakville Beaver staff on Twitter: @Oakville_Beaver, @NewsHooked, @mikedgregory, @Beaversports or @Halton_Photog I feel it in my feet! Celebrate the Holiday Season With Us! A Award ward Winning Italian Cuisine Private Dining · Corporate Functions · Family Events 905 822 5751 www.michaelsbackdoor.com www.edwardjones.com 1715 Lakeshore Road W West est KyBoots will help you with.... · Back Pain · Improving circulation · Knee pain · Strengthening muscles · Foot conditions · Improving posture The Sw i air-cush i ss Your interests come first. Marc Nutford - Financial Advisor 2387 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, ON L6H 6K7, 905-844-4043 marc.nutford@edwardjones.com · www.edwardjones.com Member ­ Canadian Investor Protection Fund shoe on w ww om . k y b o o t.c Enjoy a FREE Kyboot walking test, at the Medicine Shoppe on Lakeshore Rd. East Pharmacist/Owner Richard Price 267 Lakeshore Rd. E., Oakville Mon.-Fri. 10-6, Sat. 9-1 A Trusted name in Oakville for over 20 years! www.kybun.com 905.842.2770