Six days and counting

I've got to tell you, I'm getting super excited about Christmas this year. The holiday is a bit of a drag since we're so far from the family, and we don't get to be caught up in the togetherness of the celebrations, but still, I'm getting pretty geeked up about it.
Could it be that just the build-up of the festivities this week, including the work party tomorrow and my four-day weekend, are enough to make my heart skip a beat when I hear a carol? Or is it the snow still on the ground, nip in the air, and general merriment in the steps of people passing by? Whatever it is and for whatever reason ... this year, I'm hooked on the enthusiasm.
And in the spirit of the five days this week leading up to the Christmas weekend, I'm wearing a different pair of Christmas socks to work every day. Today's are a new pair that I got from Mom on Friday, and feature a creepy video-game Santa on a red background.