Believe it or not, Christmas Eve is only one hundred and forty five days away. And for the first time in years – I can hardly wait.

For one reason or another – I have not had a good Christmas in years. From fighting with the girlfriend I had at the time, to ending a relationship right around the beginning of the holiday season – to not being able to decorate my tree because it was in someone else’s possession – it seemed that for years whenever a Christmas would come – I would not have any desire to celebrate it. But this year – I have a very good reason to look forward to the holiday season – Christine.

Just like myself – she has also not had a merry Christmas in years and is looking forward to having one this year. So if you take our collective desire for a happy holiday season – and add the amount of love we have for each other – it is blatantly obvious that this is going to be a very merry Christmas.

Even though it is the middle of Summer and we haven’t even hit Labor Day yet – my mind is on the holiday season, which has escaped me year after year since I entered my twenties. But this year – I have someone to celebrate Christmas with that I know will bring back the holiday spirit I once had but have somehow lost. I know that as we get ever closer to the best time of the year – our love will have grown so much that we will both eagerly anticipate our first Christmas together – and try our best to make it as special, romantic – and memorable as possible.

Here it is August 1st – and already I can’t wait to go shopping for gifts, decorate the house – and kiss Christine under the mistletoe. I also look forward to taking her to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular – and my favorite thing about Christmas – the St. Edmund’s Christmas Fair – which I used go to every year – but have missed the last two years in a row because it is hard to go to a Christmas Fair when you have no holiday spirit.

We have been an official couple for only the past three months – and I am already sure that we will not only be together by the time this Christmas rolls around – but this will be the first of many Christmases that we celebrate together.

Maybe we should start decorating early…