'Tis the Season

It’s over, yes the X-mas season is over [just about]. I use X-mas because there is nothing Christ-like about Christmas, and has not been for a long time. I finally figured out why I like Halloween and Easter more. There are less reminders of how much you miss the loved ones that have passed away as much as you do during “Tis-the-Season”.

The “Happy Holidays” last way longer because of marketing and advertising. This starts close to the day after Halloween with decorations in all. This year “they” slowed down because of the back lass of holidays past of put out “jingle bells” way too early. Thanksgiving is the “hurry-up-and-eat-so-we-can-go-shopping day! In my opinion, this causes stress.

The stress of having to buy something, send cards [ we don’t do this any longer] figure out where to plug in the outdoor lights after hunting in the storage for the,  “ I know what’s in here, I put in here last year”. Shopping for me any day is a headache, let alone X-mas season. I rather order online and get it over with. To figure out what you want, how much to spend and you annoy me most of the year is stress as well. “Ba-humbug”

Maybe I suffer from a form of depression during the holidays. I miss my parents this time of the year. I miss my brothers as well. I still miss my grandparents. One tends to create holiday traditions and they’re not the same when the people are not with you any longer.

So, you create new traditions with new family. Family is who you depend on, who you are there for, who together, “stuck” it through. Sometimes these families change when you meet new people. New growth and change causes a new outlook in life.

Children grow, move away, start their own traditions [what we pray for] now you have to find something to occupy the holidays with. You can get a small tree, put some lights up, send out a few cards and call it a day. This is why “one-day” holidays are better [my opinion].

I have not have a full sized tree in years. I for one do not like taking down the decorations, so I don’t even bother.

This year the house was full of conversation and laughter. The grands found those ornaments and lights in the garage and stuff I had forgotten. Children do bring joy, parents bring food and libations, I bought the batteries.

My suggestion is to get out and volunteer somewhere. Children’s hospital, elder rehab center. There are plenty shelters that give a meal or pantries that give food. Make the holiday meaningful for someone else who enjoys the season.

...Pandora