If I've said it once, I've said it three or four (million) times: Bah Humbug.
Somewhere in my psyche, the holidays got shoveled into a corner that kind of reminds me of The Simpsons' treatment of Grandpa. In our culture we use them as an excuse to reconnect with people whom we've not connected with recently.
Instead of being part of people's lives all the time, we allow ourselves to put them in a box and only think of them during the holidays. Wheeee!
Is that something in human nature? I've been invited to over 30 places for one meal next Thursday. 30. count them. Of all thirty only one of them is from someone who has ever invited me over to their house for a meal outside of the holiday structure.
So, if you'll allow me to be all cremudgeny for a moment (and you will, 'cause it's my blog), if all those 30 people invite me and my significant other out to dinner on an average Saturday night, we'd have 30 weekends booked of time with our friends. Instead we have to say "oh, no, I've already accepted an invitation elsewhere" and miss a perfect opportunity for fellowship and camaraderie. 30+ opportunities.
Sure, some of those people will be around some during the coming year. Some of them will even be around on a weekly basis or more. Most of them will not even think of having us over for a game night or meal when it's just another night. They all seem to prefer to celebrate the same events as everyone else, so that there can be a rush and we all have to choose who are our favorites.
I hate holidays.
One Comment
Now, see, you've got the wrong attitude. Holidays are great. I mean, yeah, it's nice to see people you don't usually get to see throughout the year, but let's get back to what's important about holidays. Days off of work. THAT'S what holidays are allllll about.