I don’t know why we ask each other, “Are you ready for Christmas?”

It's a logistical question, not a spiritual one. The tree and all its ornaments are in the living room, but it’s not pretty—all those ornaments are still in cardboard boxes instead of on the tree. We have a few more presents to buy and are clueless on what to get. And the upstairs window facing the street still doesn’t have the star that is a traditional part of the Christmas lights for our house. We have a family Christmas gathering at our house in three days and dinner for at least 14 people two days after that.

We are so not ready.