Yes, that block of time.
It started with Halloween. Sweet memories of trick or treating after school still fill my memory. Since I lived in a large apartment building in the Bronx, I never even had to go outside to brave the weather, like the kids in this neighborhood have to.
Then there was Thanksgiving. And then, December belonged to various holidays of various faiths, including, for Christians, Christmas.
I have some questions to ask about Christmas. For example, since when did it begin in October?
I went to the supermarket yesterday. November 1. In the front of the store, a huge Christmas wreath hung. Outside, they were selling, and I am not making this up, living dwarf conifers for your Christmas table. The Halloween candy (so yesterday) was being cleared out for their Holiday Shoppe.
I have come to dread the holidays. I feel like I am participating in some kind of warped game. For the next six weeks, we will be reminded, every minute, that this is the most wonderful time of the year. We will be asked to Buy! Buy! Buy! Decorate! Decorate! Decorate! Cook the best meal ever!
If we give into the moment, we will become so stressed out that it will take the next eleven months to recover.
Yes, let's call it The Dreading Games.
And then there is the dilemma of what to call "Christmas". Do we say Merry Christmas? Do we refer to it by a vague Happy Holidays? Either way, it becomes a political event to be dreaded.
Yes, it has become a part of The Dreading Games.
I know I don't feel alone in my dreading this once wonderful time of the year. In fact, this blog post made me want to write my own post on the topic.
Only a week ago, I was happy. Only a week ago, my guest photographer took this picture walking with me through an area on the edge of downtown Binghamton, New York. It was fall.
Now it is "The Holidays".
Let the dreading games begin.
Do you give "the holidays" a bah humbug? Or do you still enjoy that season?
I love decorating my home for Christmas even though I am not a religious person. It is a great time for the family to be together. BUT, I do not start it in October. I saw a house on Sunday with all their Christmas lights on. Not just up, but ON. Too soon.
ReplyDeleteWell, for those of us of a certain faith, we tend to believe that we've moved to the wrong side of the tracks once Columbus Day rolls around. Between the decorations, the music (the incessant music!), the decorations... We await Martin Luther King Day with tremendous anticipation.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Christmas and the whole season. But I love it AFTER Remembrance Day. Not when it starts in August (Which it did at Costco here in Edmonton where Halloween decorations went on the shelves at the same time as the Christmas trees and stuff!)
ReplyDeleteI don't find "The Holidays" especially stressful, because my family have already ploughed through all the angst and guilt about keeping them real. If winter is the only time when people *can* travel, then they'll be welcomed, probably with prezzies. If they have a choice, they're encouraged to avoid travel in winter. "Christmas" is for remembering the Holy Family and giving to charitable missions, not for prezzies. Prezzies are for birthdays. Advertising is for making fun of. These simple rules keep "The Holidays" fun. Try them! :-)
ReplyDeleteYou don't want to know what stresses me out this time of year ...
ReplyDeleteI love "bah humbug". Use it all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think you should say what you like. I worked in retail for 11 years, so this is Season to me. And it sucked the joy out of the holidays. But, I don't think there needs to be a thing about whether you say Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or just Hi. If someone is going to get offended by what you say, you're going to screw it up no matter what ;)