Happy Holidays....I think.
Terry Shames here, writing about what I love about the holidays
and what drives me crazy. Short answer: everything does both.
I heard an interesting factoid a few days ago. Before
Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol, only the “lower classes” celebrated Christmas--with
gifts and good cheer. The “upper classes” pretty much ignored it. I’d love to
know more about that subject, but it seems to be the perfect metaphor for the
oddities of the holidays. “Class” aside, some people go “all out,” others
barely bother. Some people decorate and have parties, others go about their
business.
That said, it’s the trappings of the holidays that I have a
love-hate relationship with:
I love eggnog and fruitcake….except that I struggle with my
weight, always have. So indulging either of these comes with a healthy dose of guilt.
I love the smell of Christmas trees….except that I’m
allergic to them, so if I bring one inside it means weepy eyes and runny nose.
I love Christmas music…except when it starts November 1. By
the time Christmas rolls around, I’m sick of most of it. Not the old carols. I
don’t mind that. But how many times do you have to hear “Rockin’ Around the
Christmas Tree” before murderous thoughts arise?
I actually like giving presents to people…except that I’m
always nervous that I chose something that isn’t good enough—not thoughtful
enough, or unique or….whatever it is that would make it perfect. Neither my
husband nor my son likes getting presents. It makes them nervous. Maybe because
they don’t like giving them either. Go figure! From the time my son was old
enough to talk, he hated surprises, and only began to enjoy gift occasions when
I told him exactly what he was going to get and how the gifts would be wrapped.
From then on he could deal with it.
There is one thing I truly dislike at this time of year--the
phony “war on Christmas” hype. It is the essence of fake news—and the less said
about that the better.
I love getting people’s holiday letters. Yes, I read them,
look at the pictures, and am happy to know what they are up to. No, I’ve never
written a holiday letter.
I love holiday parties—for about thirty minutes. Then I’m
ready to go home. What I like most about them is getting dressed. I’m a writer.
I usually wear funky clothes. So it’s fun to dress up. But when I stand up too
long, my feet hurt. My most fun at a party is if I get into a conversation with
someone I don’t usually see much of and we sit down and talk. But that’s rare.
Usually people are standing around talking about God-knows-what, and I’m not
good at small talk.
I don’t like sappy Christmas movies. Except for Love, Actually. That was pretty good,
but I see no reason to watch it again.
And finally, I like New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. But
not New Year’s Eve parties. I like staying at home, or maybe having friends
over for dinner. I like to be home well before midnight.
What I most about the holidays is making New Year’s
resolutions. I like to think about last year’s resolutions and contemplate new
ones. It seems like a fresh start. So, in the spirit of fresh starts, Happy
Holidays, everyone. Whatever you celebrate and however you celebrate—or if you
celebrate—I hope it’s exactly what you want it to be.
Hi Terry! I love the holidays too, but they go on a bit long. I'm really enjoying the decorations this year, more than ever before, for some reason. Perhaps it's because I appreciate how much work goes into them. Wishing you and your family a special one.
ReplyDeleteI should have signed my name. Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteElaine Ash