I know that I wrote a few weeks ago about all the wish list items I wanted that I felt in my gut could never actually end up under my Christmas tree. But now it’s December, and my cynicism is pretty squashed. In fact, my birthday was yesterday.

My birthday is always my way of ringing in the holiday season.

No matter the holiday you celebrate this month or, I have it on good authority from some holiday abhorring friends, if you don’t celebrate any holiday, it’s pretty hard to walk the streets this month and not feel a little something of the holiday spirit, am I right?

I add “happy holidays” to the end of every conversation, even with the toll-takers on the New York Thruway which I will again journey across later this month as I trek from Boston to Cleveland to see my parents.

I put cinnamon and cocoa into my half&half so my coffee tastes like “Christmas in a cup” to quote Ryan Reynolds in The Proposal.

And I pile a huge comforter on my bed and spend a lot of evenings curled up with my cat and either a good book or a good movie marathon.

In fact, right this moment, only hours after a peppermint latte, I’m in bed with my cat and season one of Castle on the television.

I can’t help the five year old in me. She’s matured a little bit, but at heart, I still cannot wait to wake up on Christmas morning and see what Santa brings me.

I started thinking of things for my list a month ago.

I’m sending it to Santa’s Director of Elf Relations (aka Dad) this weekend. It includes things like perfume that smells like a library, pretty much everything on the DailyBlam! 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, these super cute Toms, and an electric toothbrush. What can I say? I’m a geeky, simple girl.

As I said, though, the 5-year-old inside of me has grown up just a little bit. I also see my wallet opening a lot more easily this month. I tip more frequently at Starbucks. I find myself lingering in toy stores despite the fact that I have already bought things, and shipped them, for my nieces and nephews.

This year, I’m trying to think of other ways I can give back because even if I’m unemployed, I can recognize that I’m an incredibly lucky girl to be relatively happy, totally healthy and reasonably sane. I have a warm roof over my head, friends and family I adore, and hope for the future.

I donated my birthday yesterday to my favorite literacy nonprofit, Kids Need to Read. I really hope it raised some money. I did a lot of sharing and tweeting and liking of things across the internet this week in hopes that it would. And I plan on donating myself once I see if I get any money from generous family for the holidays.

Are you making a Christmas list this month? Are you shopping for Hanukkah gifts? Are you looking forward to cozy nights with family and friends even if you’re not celebrating a specific holiday, perhaps in protest over the blatant commercialism that has overtaken the holidays?

I’m making my list of the groups and organizations and charities that I love, and I’m checking it twice. I doubt any have been naughty and that all have been nice.

I’m coming to town with books galore in hopes that some kid or a library or a local writing group gets to read something I already love and that they love it too! Here’s hoping I’m not alone, and that the holiday spirit spreads far and wide this year.

Image Credit: MediaTinker’s PhotoStream