While hype and excitement are steadily building up in preparation for the double whammy of a festive season, the atmosphere is still unable to sink into me. This apathy has never ever happened to me before; I used to get so excited about planning parties with friends, but this year I have generally been non-committal about any party that I've been invited to. I just cannot feel the festive nor end-of-year spirit now, and as usual with all my malaise, I cannot figure out the reason(s).

Maybe I am just getting old. But that can't be, seeing how my elder friends have been infected with festivities. A disdain for crass commercialism aside, it almost seems as if all I want to do over Christmas and New Year is to retreat into a hermit-like state and escape from all and sundry.. :(