The Holidays

When I was a kid, the holidays were times when family would get together at one house or another, eat good food, and get caught up on what's been going on. For me of course, it was a time for presents, hanging out with the cousins that weren't older than I was, and lots of good food. For me, it was a good time with lots of fond memories. I have no clue what it was like for the adults, but I like to think it was something similar. Things I don't remember are mad dashes to the store to be pepper sprayed, beaten, and killed over the latest gimmick gift. If there were fights between the various family members present, they were off in back rooms or outside where it didn't interfere with everyone else having a good time. And while I'm sure there was some stress that came with all the preparations and clean up, it wasn't as if the world was going to end if everything wasn't perfect. Family was what made it perfect.

These days, it seems to me as though all there is is stress. Stress over making sure the meal, whoever's making it, is perfect. Stress over travelling for whoever had the bad luck to have to make that pilgrimage. Stress over making it to the stores to get the decorations, food, and presents where applicable. All that stress, and everything I've seen about fights breaking out at stores over the last morsel of thanksgiving food just makes me sad. It's as if people have forgotten the real spirit behind the holidays. And that's another source of stress... "the reason for the season". There are so many different interpretations based on faith, various historical accounts, etc., that it's become a fight just to get the holidays off the ground. And what makes it worse is popular culture. Movies depict the battle over gifts and turkeys as a joke, and therefore, the norm. Popular musicians make holiday albums, careful to select songs that a)won't offend anyone that might listen to them, and b)brings in the most sales. Even politicians get involved in the debate over the correctness of this or that holiday issue. If you ask me, it's pathetic.

I'd like to say this to all the politicians, busy body celebrities, the retail industry, and anybody else who wants to take the holidays and turn it into their little cause to fight over... GET OVER IT!! I celebrate the holidays my way, you celebrate them yours. I won't come into your house and tell you that what you do is wrong and hateful against this, that, and the other ethnic group, and I expect the same from you. In my first post, I wrote about respect. This is a huge case of respect... respecting another person's ability to celebrate the holidays the way they choose. It's all part of being American.

For those of you who seem to think it's okay to harm others just to get at the latest toy or gadget, I'd like you to think about something first. Before you throw that elbow, spray that pepper, or stomp that spleen, imagine what it would be like if someone did that to you? I doubt you'd enjoy it, so what makes you think you should be able to do it. This applies to the turkey warriors too. If someone gets there ahead of you, suck it up, and try somewhere else. Or even online. But don't start a bloody riot just because your selfish little brat of a kid just can't live without that $400 piece of electronics. Teach them to appreciate what they have by getting them something small but meaningful. And if they look up at you and say "is this it?", you promptly take the gift from them and send them to their room, telling them if they don't like it, you'll just take it back and they get nothing.

Obviously, this is something that really gets to me. I have very fond memories of the holidays as a kid, and it seriously galls me to see how things have devolved into a completely commercialized, politicized, and popularized bag of trash. When the holidays come around, remember the real reason for the season. Love. Kindness. Generosity. Family. Gratitude. Respect. And if, for some strange reason you can't remember that, get the fuck away from me and stop trying to make me forget all those things.