By the time this is published (or at least gets to your house) Christmas 2012 will be over. And I’m thankful that the world didn’t end Friday so I could experience it.

But it hasn’t happened yet so this column is going to be another one of those “I hope you will have had a nice holiday” kind of things.

Looking back, during Christmas 2011, I was unemployed (I was a writing freelance, but that doesn’t count in my book), looking for a place to live and wondering how I was going to make it through life.

I spent the holiday sitting alone and watching television because I really didn’t want to be around a bunch of celebrating people when my life was falling apart.

It was a depressing time, to say the least.

But look at how things have changed today.

This year, I have a baby on the way with a woman I love with all my heart, I’ve moved to the first community I’ve ever wanted to make my permanent home (New York and L.A. ain’t got nothing on Mayberry) and have found a sparkling little house neither she nor I ever want to leave.

The only challenges I’m having to deal with these days are baby and hormone-related.

Today, I’m suffering from absolutely zero sleep because the little lady is apparently afflicted with nighttime leg cramps (please, if you have any suggestions I’d love to hear them) and a sore back. And if mama can’t sleep, no one can sleep. (If you need to know what the weather was at 3 a.m., Monday morning, just ask. I was up.)

Those are problems I’m glad to have, though, because they mean that in a few months I’m going to have a little baby boy to hold.

And that, folks, is the greatest Christmas gift I could ever receive, from the first woman I’ve ever truly loved.

So for Christmas, my plan is to spend time with her. Period.

We’re going to sit at home, look at our oversized Charlie Brown Christmas tree, listen to some tunes, maybe watch a video or two and simply enjoy being here and being together.

There’s going to be laughter, food (we’re doing tacos, because neither of us really gets that excited about turkey or ham. Don’t judge.), loud rock & roll music, and a lot of general happiness.

And that’s the way Christmas should be.

So thank you for making me feel at home in Mayberry. Now could one of you guys tell a fellow how he’s supposed to deal with those hormones???

Keith Strange is a staff reporter at The Mount Airy News. He can be reached at kstrange@heartlandpublications.com or 719-1929.