I’m almost in the Christmas spirit.

For me, that’s something pretty unusual. As an adult, Christmas becomes more of a chore, rather than a wonder, if we let it, as I usually do.

But I’m going to try to make this Christmas different.

It started for me this year when I watched Stacy Hartley, The Vicksburg Post’s amazingly talented circulation manager, decorate our lobby. She is as creative as they come, and I watched her take great care to make every detail perfect. And perfect it is.

I left the office late Friday night and as I walked through our darkened lobby, I was just overcome with the beauty of the twinkling lights on our towering Christmas tree. The light was dancing off the foil wrapping paper of the many presents surrounding the tree. It stopped me in my tracks, and for just a few minutes, I enjoyed that perfect vision of Christmas.

I’m even thinking about putting up a Christmas tree this year, though I must confess if I do so, it only would be to watch my cats delight in having something like a tree to climb inside the house. They are indoor cats, and I would love to give them the gift of a real tree.

My tree, if I follow through with putting one up, would have lights, but probably no ornaments, as it’s likely to topple a time or two during the season. I do love the lights, and favor them in all different colors.

I was pretty lucky growing up. Christmas in my house, with my two brothers and two sisters, was something special. My mother had her children in sort of three waves. She had my older sister, and then seven years later, I came along. Then, 18 months after that, my brother. Nine years later came my youngest brother, and two years after that, my baby sister. I recall my mother being eight months pregnant with my baby sister on the day my older sister graduated from high school. My mother, who died in May of this year at age 79, loved having children. Her children were who she was, if that makes any sense.

Christmas had almost lost its luster when the youngest two arrived. But something wonderful happened. We got to see Christmas through their eyes and the magic returned. Just like my parents had done when my younger brother and I were little, we bundled them up in blankets and took off on Christmas Eve to see the Christmas decorations all over Natchez. Then, when the tour was almost over, we would look up into the sky and find a red light on top of a radio tower and point it out to them, telling them it must be Rudolph’s nose. They became eager to hurry home and get into bed to await Santa and all his glory.

I know I’ll never have another Christmas like those on Miller Avenue in Natchez, when we were all at home and Mama was in the kitchen rattling her pots and pans.

I haven’t put up a tree in years. Hasn’t seemed like much reason to do so. But this year I feel like I need to make an effort. Life is short, and I’m coming to learn it’s all about attitude. I may need to meet joy halfway this year.

If you need something to get you in the Christmas spirit, stop by our office and take a peek at our lobby. It may be just what you need, too.

Jan Griffey is editor of The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at jan.griffey@vicksburgpost.com. Readers are invited to submit their opinions for publication.