Do you remember when we were kids how intensely exciting holidays were? The anticipation was beyond bearable. Then we grew up. And when I say 'we' I am talking about women.
Birthdays in families always end up being up to mom to make happen. We clean the house, go shopping for endless food, we bake the cake, clean up the mess again, go to the dollar store and get all the paraphernalia one needs for kid's birthdays, get the candles, find the lighter, plan the games. Then when the dust settles and everyone is gone, who is it picking up all the trash, getting over excited kids into tubs then bed (and the little blighters still want stories), standing at the sink washing dishes, then doing the night time routine, feeding the dogs, making sure all food is in the fridge, finding the aspirin for your aching back. What the hell is exciting about all that?
Thanksgiving, Christmas, road trips, beach days, over night(s) company. All exciting. All exhausting. And all not as fun as when as a kid you slept somewhere strange in the house, giving up your bed to company.
It's great seeing the joy on your family members face..for sure! But does it make up for the utter exhaustion at the end of the event? For your family yes...for myself? I am not so sure. The real excited magic is definitely gone and it's due to the colossal amount of work it takes to make a super successful dinner, party, Christmas or day trip to the beach.
And that brings me to halloween. I can admit it now. I absolutely hate halloween. I mean think about it. What is there to be excited about? Costumes? I think NOT!!! Either the kid wants something impossible to conjure up or impossibly expensive or the 12 year old wants to go out on this most dangerous night with his/her friends...sans parents. Then a damaging fight ensues when you say no. And the younger ones bring home an obscene amount of candy...judging the neighbours by how big the bars are. And face it. No matter how you spin it to your little offspring how one shouldn't negatively judge according to the size of a freaking chocolate bar, in their head they are still judging, the greedy little critters ! (shovel list).
I do love Christmas though. I absolutely love the tree and the lights. I put them on the beginning of November and don't turn them off til spring. I am a light freak.
I already have my xmas cards and my address list out ready to do my cards. I love planning the tacky gift party we all are going to do instead of presents.
I love the xmas carols in commercials and random stores and radio stations. This time of the year I super use google just for Mariah Carey and Elvis Pressley and sometimes Frank Sinatra and for sure Boney M. But the real crazy core excitement isn't there anymore. I guess we just grow up and reality kind of kills it a little. And for sure the massive amount of planning and work and exhaustion. The xmas tree makes up for that though!!!!
I think I have mentioned this before but my favourite xmas memory is one year when my Arnie was still tiny enough o be rocked in the rocking chair and Kevin was eating mandarins and popcorn over on the couch. The tree was beautifully lit up and the tinsel icicles were shimmering in perfect rows on the branches. And on my mickey moused together stereo Abba was playing and I was singing and rocking my little one and occasionally Kevin would climb up too. Life was perfect. I love this memory. Soft and dark and shimmering xmas lights, my babies, a rocking chair and awesome music.
I hope you all have a wonderful xmas this year. Some of you are attempting new normals or dealing with scary health diagnosis's or losing a loved one. Reach out. There are lots of us out here with open arms ready for you. Now I am going to dive behind the couch and haul out my tiny but loved xmas tree! Hibiscus gotta moooove!!!!!! TFL and TTYL
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