I thought I would write about the HOLIDAYS. But I just can’t. It’s such a superfluous part of my life. What is it about decorating the house (and for the really obsessed, the yard)? Putting up all those lights and glitter and more lights and trees and more lights and don’t forget the statues! Statues! Fantasy statues like flying reindeer, elves and the obese guy all right next to something that is supposed to be meaningful like the Son of God in a manger. Whatever possesses people? OK, now I’m started and I can’t get stopped. I didn’t want to offend anyone and I’m sure I already have so I may as well go with it.
Every year some yahoo writes the same story about peace and love for our fellow man; especially the less fortunate. The hope we can have in the coming new year and why we should make resolutions we know we won’t keep. Somehow we will all be better people this next year.
No. I’m not going to be that yahoo. Because I don’t really care! Christmas was the same as it always is and next year we’ll recycle all the same sentiments. So I’m glad it’s over. I won’t have to listen to silly, obnoxious Christmas songs at every store I walk into. Or smile at some guy in a Santa suit ringing a bell in front of it. It’s over. Finally. One last time. All that’s left to do is take the tree down and drag all the decorations back to the attic. I’ll make the same resolution I make every year new year; clean out the attic! Once the house is back to normal, I’ll be able to get myself back to normal. (My wife, who is really a very warm, gracious person, laughs when I say that.) Maybe I’ll get to work on some of those unfinished projects that clutter my shop.
Just to be fair, the season does provide a distraction from the hum-drum of the everyday. But beyond that it’s mostly noise. I do remember one particularly memorable Christmas; the year I bought my wife a horse. It was a little appaloosa filly. She wasn’t my wife at the time but I think that filly had something to do with her becoming so. Oh, and I remember our oldest daughter on her first Christmas. What a let-down! I was waiting, camera in hand for that wow-moment when she opened her first present. But all she wanted to do was play with the stupid wrapping paper! It was her second Christmas that I finally got the picture. Although, that wasn’t near as good as the third year; when she was trying to make her six month old sister play with the toy instead of the paper.
That makes me think of the year we had all the in-laws over for Christmas dinner. I mean all of them. Nieces and nephews, sister and brothers, Moms and Dads, a couple strays; thirty-some people in a house built for four. What a hoot! Took a week to clean up.
You know, if nothing else Christmas is at least an excuse for doing crazy stuff with people. Stuff we wouldn’t otherwise do. And I did get some pretty cool gifts. I suppose I may go ahead and do it again next year. Just don’t start thinking I’m some yahoo.
