Its been about 20 years since I found much joy in the Holidays. I will be the first to admit that I’m one of the biggest Scrooges you might find. My close friends call me Mrs. Grinch!! My reasons are very simple and pure…I find all the holiday hoopla to be simply disingenuous… aka FAKE!! All of a sudden the world becomes this kind place of ‘peace’ and ‘giving’ yet the rest of the year I find people so full of hate and selfishness. Its all just too much for me. But it wasn’t always like that. I built up a disdain over a period of time due to many things.
First there were all the holiday parties that I had to attend to support bosses that didn’t like me or client’s that I didn’t like. I felt forced to spend time with people who could really care less if I got hit by a donkey. And I can’t fail to mention all the wayward relatives that showed up to camp out, the same relatives that didn’t even call the rest of the year. And with the relatives came the expectation of Holiday Decorations and cooking Christmas goodies. I still get exhausted thinking of it.
Then there was the holiday shopping traffic, as if rush hour gridlock wasn’t enough on its own. Did I mention the mountains of dept??!! I remember getting into credit card dept up to my eyeballs every year making sure I got everyone a ‘good’ gift. And the bushels of Christmas cards and random photos that needed a double take just to know who they were from (what happened to going green). I also can’t forget that my Father was paralyzed during Thanksgiving and Christmas without Mom is nothing short of dismal. And what about those pesky ‘wish lists’ and ‘secret Santas’…. I shudder at the thought of the retail roundup!! So its safe to say that I’m officially ‘not into the holidays”.
But the funny thing is, I am still able to find some simple joy during this time of year. I absolutely LOVE good food, and this is the best time of year to get all the homemade wonders. And almost nothing compares to the excitement and wonder of watching my nieces open Christmas presents. My family does seem to be on their best behavior so everyone has a wonderful time. I know that if I hold steadfast to my Holiday Funk, then I will rob those that I love. They deserve the best of me whenever I can muster the strength to share myself, and the they are certainly worth it.
Lesson 1: Even in things that you despise, you must learn to find what is purely joyful.
Lesson 2: Making loved ones happy, doesn’t HAVE to make you happy. Its not always about you!
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