December 23, 2004
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THURSDAY WHATEVERMy family worries a lot about Christmas – oh hell, we worry a lot about everything. We’re not a really huge family with thousands of aunts and uncles and cousins and such, but we bring with us memories of Christmas Past and all its dear ghosts, imaginings of Christmas Future when all will be perfect, and sometimes we have a hard time staying in Christmas Present where we are all assured of a place in the crazy plot of our ongoing saga. Being the eldest of the group that will gather this year, I feel a certain responsibility to contribute to ambience and attention to the HALTS (hungry, angry, lonely, tired, and way too serious) that strike various members at various times while staying afloat myself. It’s my favorite thing about holidays, the chance to be in sight, sound, and hug of all of them at once. I do love the gift choosing and opening and the music and the primary-colored lights and the scents – pine, cedar, cloves, cinnamon, oranges. Yesterday I was listening to Silent Night in my car and singing along and suddenly it took me back to every Silent Night I ever sang in my life, and I had to stop, because you can’t be tearing up when you’re driving a 2000-pound vehicle. Not being a Christian, the whole thing about the birth of Jesus doesn’t really absorb me much, so that function of the holiday is not the center of it for me. I heard a religious right person arguing with someone on a talk show about the hubbub lately about celebrating Christmas in public schools without being religious and that “well it is the birth of Christ after all,” and the other person said “well, yes, but it’s also Kwanzaa and Hanukkah at this time of year.” So I don’t care to argue about all that. I just want to love my family whether they get along with each other or not because they’re each a perfect them. We’ll all survive and hopefully get some laughs and tender moments and good food and love out of it and then it will be time for my favorite holiday of them all – the New Year. On the day before Christmas Eve, I wish you all a Most Excellent coming week and here are a few little humor items to put it all in perspective:
How you can tell you’re a dysfunctional family
The dysfunctional family letter generator
Deep Thought: “I guess the hard thing for a lot of people to accept is why God would allow me to go running through their yards, yelling and spinning around.”
Today I am grateful for: Car radios
Guess the Movie: “Me? I’m dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It’s the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they’re going to do something incredibly… stupid.” Answer: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, 2003.
Winner: tikhead.
10 Ways to Be a Better Person
“#5. Listen to your heart’s counsel. The logical, profitable, or fastest course may be in opposition with what you truly believe would be most rewarding. Following your heart can lead to great wisdom.”
End of Day: 8:22 pm
+ = So far so good on Xmas preparations.
- = Temperature dropping fast.
Comments (19)
I needed to read this post today. I just feel especially grumpy today. It doesn’t matter what religious beliefs you have, it is a time to love and enjoy your family. Thanks for the reminder. Can’t wait to check out the links!
Happy week!
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl!! just saw that one the other day…
Very good! I wasn’t sure if it would be that easy to figure out.
It’s still fresh in my mind cuz when he said it, I thought to myself “that’s a pretty neat quote…I’ve gotta remember that one…” (and also because I saw the movie over the weekend on On Demand)
I like the “HALTS” theory. I’ll have to remember that one.
Late again. *sigh* Ah well, things have been a little screwy here. One day I will be the first one here and will also know the movie.
Glad you pulled over to cry instead of continuing to drive. There’s a line from a song that I try to keep in my mind when dealing with family, especially during holidays: “And maybe love is letting people be just what they want to be…” Reality on reality’s terms, letting them be what they are – very hard, but very sane.
I may not get to visit here the next few days. I hope you have the best Christmas possible and I wish you peace and joy and grace every minute. Thanks for being one of my favorite reads.
T
Hope you have a lovely time. The kitties are so cute!
that generator is hysterical…thanks…
Sounds like a recipe for a very good day. I love the thought of being the matriarch-ref, keeping the day feeling happy and smelling like warm yummy things.
Love the kittens
Wishing You and Yours a very Happy Holiday Season
At the darkest time of the year humans instinctively light lights and seek each other’s company. These celebrations pre-date any religion we now know. The need to make sure we’re all ok and have enough at the Solstice are the essentials. Choosing to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace (or a victory by middle eastern terrorists (Maccabees) over “Western Cultural Invaders”) at this moment is nice, but it’s not what’s really going on…
Enjoy the people. Enjoy the day off. Enjoy that we choose to make the darkness bright.
Beautiful!
Have the most beautiful, big, huggy family gathering, Lionne. All the best to you, love Brenda xo
Have a happy Christmas. The best ‘religion’ in my opinion, is gratitude.
I like thenarrator’s take on it. I am Christian, but that’s pretty much how I look at it. I mean, Dec. 25 doesn’t have any real connection with Christ’s birth, it’s just an arbitrary date the Catholic church picked to celebrate it. Really, though, it’s the middle of winter. It’s dark and cold and depressing and everybody needs a good party to carry them until spring.
ryc: I do sometimes write book reviews (music and movies, too), but I post them in the reviews section instead of the main page (mostly).
I think the main thing about the holidays is to spread good will and cheer to all..
“My family worries a lot about Christmas – oh hell, we worry a lot about everything.”
Cute. It sounds like your two kids will both be there, so here’s hoping it goes well. You certainly have the right attitude.
Merry Christmas
Are you my family?
Are we connected?
Do you breath in when I breath out?
Is Life really a team sport that works BEST when we cooperate?
Today, this day, this moment NOW
let us
DROP
the illusion
of separateness
and Be Beautiful Bits
of Reflecting Glory
kontained in the
Kaleidoscope of Kreation
Enjoy the Gift of the Present–yesterday is no more and tomorrow never quite arrives! HALT.
Links were firewalled at work, just got to see ‘em – quite a hoot!!