looking for the light

Although it's only December 7, I've really been struggling getting into the holiday mode this year. It seems like Thanksgiving was years ago, and although I usually am the first to jump out of the gate to be ready for Christmas, it's been a very slow and almost taxing process this year. There has been a lot going on in our household, and somehow, Christmas is falling behind on the list of priorities. For me, that's a difficult thing. If there is anything that is important to me, it's being "into" Christmas from the morning of the Friday after Thanksgiving until the weekend after New Year's. The holidays are such an enjoyable, exciting time, but somehow, the real world is somehow clouding our holiday preparations.
People say that as Christians, we are not to be come consumed by the preparations of the holidays - that all the details of the shopping, decorating and socializing somehow take away from the focus of Christ at this time of year. In a sense, I agree, but in another sense, I completely disagree. To an extent, we as believers should be more consumed with the joy of Christmas than anyone else. Why - because we know the reason for all of the trimmings. If the trimmings get in the way of the reason - that's one thing, but if the trimmings come out of the reason - if they follow up our joy over Christ's birth, I think that we should delight in each part of the celebration. I guess that's the point where I have to look into my heart and determine why I'm so anxious to get into the Christmas spirit.