Sometimes I feel "Grinchy!"

Top 10 reasons I can feel Grinchy during the season:

1. Children ignoring parental threats of "You better watch out. . .Santa Claus is coming to town!"
2. Figuring out all the extra little presents for teachers, church folks, neighbors, hair dressers, etc.
3. Doing double visiting teaching since homemade goodies are needed for home teaching families too. See #2 above.
4. Our traditional stomach flu we get during Christmas.
5. Indoor/Outdoor Christmas light strands that only last one season.
6. Budgeting carefully, being careful with the $ you spend - only to see most things go on sale after you've purchased. The timing of buying???!!!!  Being prepared early to enjoy the season vs. buying in Dec. (the price is amazing!) only to find the store has run out of exactly what you need.
7. Online shopping - I don't need $50 worth of products to get the free shipping or the 1 item I need doesn't qualify for free shipping.
8. Spending money on wrapping paper, bows, tissue, bags, etc.
9. All the work to put up and take down Christmas decorations, esp. if you get a late start.
10. The debate of how to address, label, or handwrite your Christmas card envelopes. 

Thank goodness President Uchtdorf gave us this talk this season:

Perhaps the Grinch’s story is so memorable because, if we are honest, we may be able to relate to him. Who among us has not felt concern over the commercialization and even greed of the Christmas season? Who hasn’t felt overwhelmed by the packed calendars, the stress of finding gifts, the pressure of planning meals and events? In fact, psychologists tell us that during this season of cheer and goodwill, many feel sorrow and depression.

We know what the Christmas season ought to be—we know it should be a time of reflection on the birth of the Savior, a time of celebration and of generosity. But sometimes our focus is so much on the things that annoy and overwhelm us that we can almost hear ourselves say in unison with the Grinch: “Why, for fifty-three years I’ve put up with it now! I MUST stop this Christmas from coming! . . . But HOW?”

While it’s true that we can find materialism and anxiety in Christmas, it is also true that if we have eyes to see, we can experience the powerful message of the birth of the Son of God and feel the hope and peace He brings to the world. We, like the Grinch, can see Christmas through new eyes.