Holidays

11/25/10

I’m not really a huge fan of holidays. I’m not sure why. I don’t have any deep dark, childhood agonies that creep out of the woodwork to haunt me; I don’t suspect government conspiracies or secretive raids on my psyche, I just don’t really love them. I can think of reasons why each holiday annoys me to some extent, but there is nothing huge about any of them that makes me want to crawl into my bed and sleep until they are over. I just want to crawl in bed and sleep until each one is over.

One reason I’m sure, is that I like things to go along in an orderly and predictable way for the most part. Holidays mess that up. Mail doesn’t arrive, stores are closed (as they should be), and having extra time off to make appointments that need to be made doesn’t happen, because, of course, the things you need to make appointments for are also closed.

I’m annoyed about shopping on holidays, because if it is important enough to be celebrated, why do so many people have to work? I get food stores being open, but department stores? Maybe if people didn’t want to shop, then others COULD enjoy the holidays. A conundrum for sure.

Materialism comes into play certainly. Gifts such as ties and perfume used to be the norm for many holidays; now, according to the ads on TV, unless you are buying everyone on your list a car, plasma TV, or a computer, you are not the kind of person you should be. Each holiday has its own special sale. We celebrate Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day now, not by honoring those who fought or died for us, but by purchasing large quantities of everything.

My family is no help. They like, or at least tolerate them, and drag me along on the wave of “doing things”. My husband is almost intolerant of my disdain for holidays, so I have to behave as if I love them, or at least don’t mind them, which in fact makes it worse.

According to everything I read and hear each and every family in the United States celebrates every holiday with huge gatherings of people who all love each and every one of their family members. All contribute equally to the festiveness of the occasion, all are openly thankful for what they have, nobody feels any despair, unhappiness, or aloneness, and nobody is left out of a group celebration. I happen to know this isn’t true, and I think that I am probably not alone in this feeling.

So, for all those who may not be living the picture-perfect life, and may not be able to identify why they just aren’t bubbling over with enthusiasm about every holiday celebration, here’s to you.