Re-post: My Love-Hate Relationship with the Holidays

Does anyone here notice what's going on? Really. The stress level of everyone around you? Including you.

Don't deny it.

You know I'm right.

In general, it's due to "that time of year": The Holidays. And of course, it has plainly been a couple of tension-filled years. For some of us more than others, of course. There are still those lucky/ignorant/naive persons who say "What recession?” So now, those of us who live in the true atmosphere of what is actually going on in the world today are feeling it from all sides: Work, home, kids, spouse, bills, holidays, family issues, the news... I could go on but I'd like to post this sometime today.

Life is hard! I think the best defense against holiday stress piling up onto our shoulders is to unwind by engaging in a little meditation.

Now, I know this is going to be a huge challenge for all of us. Join me. Let's start by taking a deep breath, slowly. Now exhale. Good job. Now say and repeat several times:

·         I will enjoy the holidays.

·         I will take joy in my children and my in-laws.

·         I will smile while I eat the turkey log and cranberry sauce that is still in the shape of a can.

·         I will take the kids sledding when they ask.

·         And make them hot cocoa when they ask.

·         And drive them to the mall when they ask.

·         I will hang the Christmas lights on the prickly Christmas tree without swearing when I find out that only half of the strand works.

·         I will say Merry Christmas with a twinkle in my eye to the lady who just cut in front of me in the 20-yard long line at the warehouse club.

·         I will drink my eggnog (not spiked) on Christmas Eve while waiting for the kids to fall asleep before I do.

·         I will giggle to myself when I slip and twist my back on the narrowly shoveled sidewalk because I have told the kids every year to shovel it all the way to the sides of the sidewalk.

·         I will enjoy the fresh air when I go out bundled up at 5:00 a.m. to snow-blow the driveway so I can go to work while the kids sleep in because it’s a snow day.

·         I will wish my neighbors peace as they all sleep in on said snow day.

·         I will be delighted when I spend hours and hours wrapping on Christmas Eve and then just a few hours later watch all the pretty paper burn in the fire pit outside after the presents have been ripped open.

·         I will take lots of photos so that ten years from now we can all reminisce together about how merry we all were because we can't remember how cranky the kids really were.

·         I will fix all of the broken ornaments this year instead of leaving them on the kitchen window sill to be glued the following August.

·         I will write my Christmas Cards early and not quit halfway through when my hot cocoa mug is empty.

·         I will keep my chin up and not whine when the kids don't want to watch the same old Christmas movies with me.

·         Or listen to the same old Christmas music with me.

·         Or help me stamp the Christmas cards.

·         I promise to myself and to everyone around me that I will honestly put forth the effort to thoroughly and completely enjoy the Holidays, no matter how hard it may seem; no matter how much I want to lock myself in the bathroom; and even if I am in the ditch watching macho arrogant boorish men busy folks drive by me in their pretentious plow-trucks rushing home to their families, I promise to enjoy the holidays.

If you make this your secret holiday mantra and say it several times a day (I believe that the shopping lines and while driving are the best times to recite) I know you will make it through. Remember, we are all in this together.

Say it with me: We will enjoy the holidays!!

Revisiting Christmas

Many years ago, or so it seems, I was a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom). I had everything under control, taken care of, in its' place.

Now?

Not so much.

I am striving hard this year to get it together; to not let the outside stresses interfere with my Christmas spirit. It's a day by day (sometimes hour by hour) struggle to maintain that spirit. It's hard. I used to have it together - completely organized: Christmas cookies and goodies for everyone; I was the first to send out Christmas cards everyone Christmas season - and I sent them to everyone I knew. Presents were bought and wrapped. Gift wrap and ornaments were color coordinated. Our house was always the gayest on the street.  (Sorry folks. I just realized I used the "g" word, but I am hoping you are all mature enough to understand my true meaning.)

In an effort to stay merry and bright this Christmas I have lugged out my handy-dandy 3-drawer cart of Christmas cards, Christmas stationery, Christmas stamps and ink-pads, Christmas stickers, etc. I will not be mailing out very many cards again this year. I'm sure most of the cards I put together this year will be hand delivered. My sincerest apologies to those who used to receive cards from my family and no longer do. I have faith that you all understand the circumstances, and to know that I love you all very much!

Also in my 3-drawer cart, I have found some clippings and saved left-over stories, poems and games that I would stick in each year's cards. I would like to share some of those with you as I believe that they are in some ways timeless, in some ways meaningful, and hopefully, in some ways light-hearted and funny.

So here goes.... Enjoy!

Santa's Secret Wish

by Betty Werth

On Christmas Eve, a young boy with light in his eyes

Looked deep into Santa's, to Santa's surprise,

And said as he nestled on Santa's broad knee,

"I want your secret. Tell it to me."

He leaned up and whispered in Santa's good ear,

"How do you do it, year after year?

"I want to know how, as you travel about,

Giving gifts here and there, you never run out.

How is it, dear Santa, that in your pack of toys

You have plenty for all of the world's girls and boys?

Stays so full, never empties, as you make your way

From rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small,

From nation to nation, reaching them all?"

And Santa smiled kindly and said to the boy,

"Don't ask me hard questions. Don't you want a toy?"

But the child shook his head, and Santa could see

That he needed the answer. "Now listen to me,"

He told the small boy with the light in his eyes,

"My secret will make you sadder, and wise.

"The truth is that my sack is magic. Inside

It holds millions of toys for my Christmas Eve ride.

But although I do visit each girl and each boy

I don't always leave them a gaily wrapped toy.

Some homes are hungry, some homes are sad,

Some homes are desperate, some homes are bad.

Some homes are broken, and children there grieve.

Those homes I visit, but what should I leave?

"My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff,

But for homes where despair lives, toys aren't enough.

So I tiptoe in, kiss each girl and boy,

And pray with them that they'll be given the joy

Of the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives

In the heart of the dear child who gets not, but gives.

"If only God hears me and answers my prayer,

When I visit next year, what I will find there

Are homes filled with peace, and with giving, and love

And boys and girls gifted with light from above.

It's a very hard task, my smart little brother,

To give toys to some, and to give prayers to others.

But the prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed,

For God has a way of meeting each need.

"That's part of the answer. The rest, my dear youth,

Is that my sack is magic. And that is the truth.

In my sack I carry on Christmas Eve day

More love than a Santa could e'er give away.

The sack never empties of love, or of joys

'Cause inside it are prayers, and hopes. Not just toys.

The more that I give, the fuller it seems,

Because giving is my way of fulfilling dreams.

"And do you know something? You've got a sack, too.

It's as magic as mine, and it's inside of you.

It never gets empty, it's full from the start.

It's the center of lights, and of love. It's your heart.

And if on this Christmas you want to help me,

Don't be so concerned with the gifts 'neath your tree.

Open that sack called your heart, and share

Your joy, your friendship, your wealth, your care."

The light in the small boy's eyes was glowing.

"Thanks for the secret. I've got to be going."

"Wait, little boy," said Santa. "Don't go.

Will you share? Will you help? Will you use what you know?"

And just for a moment the small boy stood still,

Touched his heart with his small hand and whispered,

"I will."



A Big Helping of Manners & a Side of Common Courtesy, Please

Faithful Ladies and Gentlemen of Blogland, Twitterland and Facebookland:

I have been carefully scouring my past posts in hopes of re-gifting some of my previous attempts at entertainment for you. Also, I'm feeling a little guilty that I have not updated for a couple of weeks and as the evening hours zip by I am finding it increasingly difficult to sit erect in front of my computer. Even though currently we have no snow just yet (which is for sure bizarre this time of year), everything else pretty much remains the same. I hope you the best of luck in your holiday shopping endeavors!

Enjoy!:

Hold on to your seats ‘cause I am riled up! (I promise to try my best to keep this clean.)

Let’s recap what we already know:

ü  It’s the Christmas season.

ü  It’s cold, wet and snowy outside.

ü  The stores are busier than normal.

ü  Gas prices (as well as the price of everything else) are on the rise again.

ü  We are all working longer and harder trying to make a buck.

So why do I absolutely loathe (and that’s putting it mildly) going to the store? Or anywhere public for that matter?

I stopped to get some groceries tonight after work and I went in totally prepared for the busier than usual, cramped to the gills, buggy-eyed people. It was actually kind of eerie at first. It seemed quiet when I first walked in and got my cart, took off my gloves and got out my list.  I walked deeper into the zombie’s lair, oops, I mean I walked into the store and passed a few customers who seemed zombie-fied; expressionless faces and round, unblinking eyes. They must have been power-shopping all day. I don’t know why people do that to themselves, especially the grandma’s. Please spread the word to the grandma’s: The grandkids do not need anything else!

Weaving through the aisle’s soon became an exasperating chore. I felt myself slipping into the underworld of zombies. I couldn’t let that happen; I would need all of my concentration to stay on task and get everything on my list.

One thing was for sure. I was slowly losing my patience. Whatever happened to common courtesy anyways? People were stopping to look at items leaving their cart in the middle of the aisle. And I am pretty sure it’s a known fact that stores design their layouts so only two and a half carts can fit down an aisle. Now tell me, who drives half a cart? A couple was standing in front of the soup sale display. I was standing back waiting for them to pick out their ‘ten for ten’ cans of soup and some older lady just walks right up and starts picking out her soup. First, does it really take both of them to pick out the soup? And second, who does that lady think she is? I have stuff to do too, but I was waiting patiently.

And the men in the store! What happened to chivalry? **Men are simply not gallant anymore! They don’t hold the door open. They don’t let ladies (and I’m using that term loosely, maybe I should just say females) go first. They’re always cutting in front of me with their carts. Picture this: So here I am, grocery shopping for my family of six, pushing around my 400-pound cart with a screwy wheel that makes the cart veer left; and then here’s this bozo pushing his cart with Twinkies in it because he’s more than likely single (gee, I wonder why), and the dope completely cuts me off, because apparently he didn’t take any math classes in school or he would realize that the weight of my cart going “X” speed would take “Y” distance to come to a stop and how nearly I just came to running his a$$ over with my 400-pound cart!

** I must say, right now, that there are still a few gracious men in the world today. I do come across them infrequently, but they are indeed out there. To you, my gallant sirs: Thank you and God Bless You!

Now where was I? How can a major grocery store run out of Romaine? Argh!

I finally got through the store. (And by the way, I found an end-cap with the same soup sale, so I did get my soup.) Up at the checkout lanes, I found one with a cashier that didn’t look too mean, or young and inexperienced. She wasn’t that bad, except that they all seem to think that a generic, unfeeling “Have a nice day” is a good enough replacement for “Thank you”. It’s not good enough. Would it kill you to put some feeling into it? If I were to answer back with a smile on my face “Stick a fork in your eye.” Do you think they would notice? I’m guessing not.

In the lane next to me was a little old lady trying to put her groceries in the cart. The cashier had packed them so they were heavy. And then…. (gasp!)… the little old lady asked for another bag. How dare she! Well, that was the attitude the cashier had anyways. The cashier very begrudgingly put a few items in another bag and then proceeded to start checking out the next person in line. The poor little old lady, who stood a full 4 foot 6 inches tall, was still trying to put her bags in her cart and put her pocketbook back in her purse. Now that’s the kind of bad manners that’s just inexcusable. There really is no reason on this earth to not take another 45 seconds to help the poor lady with her bags, and then maybe really go out of the way to wish the lady a Merry Christmas! The next customer in line, I’m sure would wait patiently if they saw this nice cashier sincerely helping this little old lady.

Remember a few years ago, when the idea of Pay It Forward was a really big deal. I think we should bring it back. I think that the policemen and women should hand out discount coupons for a gas fill-up or free turkeys or some such, when they spot people doing good deeds. How cool would that be?

To “wrap” this blog up, let me say that I am a forgiving person, especially during the Christmas season; but if you cut me off in the grocery store, there is no guarantee that I will be able to stop my cart in time before running you over. So beware, and mind your manners!