There's something about getting older, paying bills, hustling, bustling and fighting traffic, that I think inhibits the spirit of things we used to cherish as children.  I was having a discussion with a girlfriend about how relationships seemed so much more magical in high school, hell even Katy Perry is singing about loving like a Teenage Dream.  Most adults would rather forget their birthdays (I personally celebrate all month) and if it weren't for family pressure, I fear that even Thanksgiving would get shoved under the rug.


But every year, it feels like my Christmas spirit kicks in later and later.  I remember some years feeling the magical buzz while everyone was getting ready for trick or treating.  When Thanksgiving is over and it's officially December, I start stressing if the xmas twinkle buzz fairy hasn't kicked in yet.


Last week, I had high hopes for my trip to NYC for some holiday inspiration.  I had it all figured out, I would fly to NYC, get tonnes of work done, see the tree at Rockefeller Center, then have some frozen hot Chocolate at Serendipity and then somehow become inspired by this magical city and fly home with holiday tunes ringing through my soul.

Instead I got to know the city through some of it's people, hearing stories of working 3 jobs to pay the rent, individuals graduating with an MBA yet having to wait tables to get by, and those traveling 3 hours in an out of the city each day to make their dreams come true.  New York is amazing  and I'm sure my trip could have went many other ways, but I left learning that the best vacations are not ones where you forget or ignore your regular life, but instead come back with a refreshed outlook and appreciation. As incredible as the Bergdorf windows, 5th Ave shopping and Times Square lights were, I left with something more resonating than holiday spirit. 

So here I was back from a trip, working like crazy and 10 days till xmas, at this point I figured feeling the holiday magic would skip me this year, I'll continue to work through it, and c'est la vie.

Then it hit me, amidst buying stringed lights, 2 for $5, and inside Rite Aid, for no apparent reason I started smiling and that warm familiar feeling hit.  I should mention that for the few days prior to this, I've been pretty bummed out and just feeling out of my usual chipper self.  It still blows my mind how quickly things can change.  A snowy themed video from a friend in Canada (I usually travel to Canada every xmas season), some stringed lights and a few notes from Mariah Carey's xmas album has me in full spirited holiday mode.

I was talking with my marketing manager yesterday at the game studio saying how it doesn't even feel like Christmas is coming, today I wrote him and said "I found Christmas spirit in "Rite Aid."  

To view my entire album from NYC click image below.