'tis the season?

i must be getting O L D. or decrepit. or boring. or unmotivated. or becoming a hermit. or recluse. don't know what it is, really. tomorrow night is halloween, and i don't give a sh!t. at all. to me, it signals the beginning of the holidays. big deal. aside from obligatory gifts, semi-required-attendance office functions, and a few extra days off, what does it really mean? as a kid, i absolutely loved the time off from school, hanging with the cousins, fancy foods, and the presents. hmmmm... let's see... this year, there's tofino (nov), vegas (dec), and a cruise (jan), so i can't complain too much about that. you gotta have something to look forward to! but i could be doing all that any time of the year, right? which brings me back to the fact that the holidays, for me, have pretty much lost their 'luster' and appeal. it's been said before, but i totally believe everything's been commercialized. case-in-point: october 1st, i was browsing costco (as usual!) and they already had christmas gift wrap, decorations, and other assorted holiday-themed items in the store. october-freaking-1st! no sign of halloween or thanksgiving decor to be found, but if you needed santa-riding-a-reindeer gift wrap, it'd take you all of 2.5 seconds to find it. anyways, maybe it's just s.a.d. (seasonal affective disorder) or just me, or a combination of both, but if i can find some true holiday spirit this year, it'd be a miracle.