Christmas comes but once a year (thank god)

(with thanks to http://www.icanhascheezburger.com/ for this fantastic image).

Is it just me, or has Christmas snuck up really quickly on everybody this year?

I remember February like it was five minutes ago. In May My One True Love and I were in Coffs Harbour briefly, and surely that was yesterday. In September I did a different job for a month, and the sound of filing cabinets closing is still ringing in my ears. How on earth did we get to December so fast?

I swear that as I get older, the time zooms past quicker and quicker. My father says it's because as we age, we do less new things, and new things distract the brain. Therefore, doing less of them - and staying in our same old routine - means we don't notice our actions, and the days, in the same way.

When I think about that, it makes sense to me. Doing different things on the weekend - instead of chaining myself to the sewing machine - actually going out and doing things, seems to make the days longer and longer. Overseas holidays too; something happens to the time zones and suddenly a week seems like a month, because I'm busy looking at the Great Wall of China, or haggling over fabric in Damascus (where surprisingly, there was plenty of silk but no damask to be found), or visiting Henry the Eighth's castle in Leeds and imagining myself prancing about in a massive dress and corset and neck ruffle. Maybe that's just me.

When I was in school, six weeks of summer holidays seemed to stretch out endlessly. Six weeks! I even remember telling my mother (far more often than she'd have liked, no doubt) that I was boooooored. Dear sweet heaven, if I had six weeks holidays now I can guarantee you I wouldn't get bored. My wordy lordy me, oh no. I would find plenty of new things to do.

This year's been a bit of a funny one for me. And I mean funny as in peculiar, not funny as in amusing. I've not had a lot of time to do new things because I've been busy hanging on to the side of the ship like grim death as it tossed about in the waves. And now all of a sudden it's Christmas, and I can't believe how quickly it's gotten here.

Next year I think I will do more new things, to stretch my days out and really experience them. Gosh, what will I do? There's a whole world out there to play with! Where to start?

Hm, I think I can feel a list coming on .....