Holidays

I heard a commedian talking about holidays.  He said that he doesn't celebrate many of them.  At that time I realized that I've been dropping holidays like hot potatoes for several years now.

I am not sure why.  Maybe because holidays are things celebrated with childen.  Children always need something special to look forward to . . . the next approaching holiday.  Maybe it's because with age comes the wisdom that some of these holidays are manufactured by greeting card companies or malls to boost sales (I'm talking about you Valentines Day.)  Maybe I've realized that it was a decent amount of work to prep for and then very anti-climactic when it arrives. Maybe I'm just relaxing in my old"er" age and just don't need things to get excited about.

In any event, I no longer celebrate New Year (and New Year's Eve was gone long ago, back when I realized that nothing was worth missing a good night's sleep.)  Valentine's Day has been tossed also - and it's not just because I don't have a "Valentine", it's just too soon after Christmas. St. Patrick's Day stopped being fun when I stopped drinking for fun.  Easter was once a day to put on your Easter bonnet (metaphorically) and watch kids hunt for eggs.  But, I stopped going to church a few years back and it's been quite a while since I've had kids of the egg-hunting age. Memorial Day is celebrated only as a three-day weekend.  Ditto the Fourth of July - though not always on a Monday - and Labor Day.  Halloween is sometimes a holiday in my book.  If I'm not scheduled to be anywhere else on trick or treat night, I'll buy a bag of candy and sit on my porch until it's gone. But no costumes - I'm scarey enough "as is."

Now we come to Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is a real holiday.  Who can't get behind gathering loved ones and eating turkey.  Thats truly something I'm thankful for.  It's not as long of a prep period - unless you shop way in advance - because if you start preparing stuff the day before, you'll be fine.  And who is ever let down after spending a day with family.  There are no expectations, no gifts, no pressure.  In fact, the group usually likes it better when at least one food item is messed up - gives them something to talk about next year. And the parades.  Watching parades takes me back to when I was a child (no easy feat when you've been around as long as I have.) And to round it all off, it's almost expected of you to take a nap.  Who doesn't love naps!

And finally, Christmas.  I do celebrate Christmas in that I send cards to family and I buy gifts for my children's families - although I've started giving gift cards to the adults - they'd rather shop for themselves anyway.  But at home.  I have a tiny, pre-decorated table-top tree.  There are no other decorations.  Why?  Because they are fun to put up and look at, but I can procratinate until the end of January taking them down.  Everything has to be put in the boxes just right or they won't fit.  Everything in the closet has to be brought out and juggled into just the right position so it all fits back in until next year.  And, the most important reason I don't want to celebrate Christmas is that the Christmas season now begins in October.  Who wouldn't be let down when it's finally over.

So . . . I'll just stick to every day being just a day.  After all, what can be better than that.