In our house growing-up my father was teasingly known as "The Grinch" and over the years he has acquired many stuffed versions of said "Grinch" from the typical to the koosh version. My mother has always put up a tree, decorated it with love and homemade ornaments and hung stockings for all of us. What a nice image huh? But you know, as I grow older I begin to see the Christmas hub-bub is a whole new light. Basically I'm becoming a "Grinch" or "Scrooge" or maybe just a grown-up; the jury's still out.
I don't like Christmas anymore. I don't like the pressure to buy more stuff with no money for people who don't need more stuff. Yes, even my kids- they don't need anymore toys- PLEASE for the love of Santa- NO MORE TOYS! Books are always welcome- but really we have a mini library of toddler congress already.
I'm trying to decide if I just have a case of the Holiday blues or not. But really, every year we pick out some poor little dead tree to hang our odd collection of ornaments on. Ten we try to hang lights on the house without falling off the ladder- actually that is kind of funny. I stress out over what to get for everyone. Randy stresses about what to get for me- I stress about what to get for him. We work and work and work to do, do do and I feel like were missing the damn point. All religions aside, really what's the frickn' point??
Then it sort of hit me like a reindeer fart in the face- we do it because our Mama's did and our Mama's Mama did before her. For years my mother carried on with the decorating and false cheer for us- her kids. So it makes me wonder, did Granny do the same for her? Is Christmas tradition just some perpetuated myth about holiday cheer handed down by the mothers of the family. We do it because our ancestors did- not because we necessarily want to, but because we're programmed that way?
Not a very happy thought I know, and I'm not sure I buy it wholesale myself, but it does make me think. Would my mother be much happier on a cruise to Mexico on December 25th than making mashed potoates and ambrosia for us? For that matter how would she feel it I stole her and we ran off to Tahiti for a christmas rum punch and a tropical christmas tree? Now that's a tradition worth starting!
Or maybe we should go to Australia- you know it's full summer there at Christmas time. My friend Natasha, who is from Australia, said they used to leave out a beer for Santa on Christmas eve; no milk and cookies for him! That's a lot of extra weight to carry around in the middle of summer big guy- maybe a few less beers would help (hint, hint)
Either way I think we need to rethink this darn season- because really, we should wish for peace on earth all year round, we should think of others all year round and I for one, would love to give and get presents all year round too! Not because we are expected too, but because someone genuinely thought of us and we did the same. Now that's a present worth giving or getting.
So Ma? Are you having Christmas this year? .... or are we going to Tahiti?
