It’s almost Christmas, and even if you don’t celebrate, you probably still have the day off, so good for you! I always like this time of year, whether I live somewhere cold (which I did growing up) or someplace warm (where I live now), and I’m wondering, if you like this time of year too, what your favorite thing about it is. It’s a Question!
I know that we here in ‘Murica aren’t having the greatest year in history, but that doesn’t mean the holiday season can’t be fun. I guess it begins at Halloween, but I’m thinking the month from Thanksgiving to Christmas and then the New Year. I always liked Thanksgiving — we usually got together with a friend of my mom’s, and they had three kids and we had two, so it was a decent gathering. These days we spend it without family because they live so far away, but I like it because we usually get to sit outside and my wife usually makes lasagna, and her tomato sauce is delicious. I like Christmas, too — again, we don’t always spend it with family, but usually every other year my parents come out to visit us, and this year my sister and her husband are coming, so it should be fun. We’re going to church on Christmas Eve, which I haven’t done in a long time, but if there’s one day that could get me in a church, it’s the Christmas Eve service, because it’s usually pretty neat. Christmas Day should be nice and pleasant, too. We’re getting our dinner “catered” by Cracker Barrel — we have to pick all the food up, but they make it! — and we’ve done that before, and it’s pretty good.
I like all these things, but I think what I like the best is the weird feeling of the holiday season. I know people work, and I know it gets busy, and I know people aren’t as nice as they should be because they must get that stupid toy for their spoiled child, but I like how there’s a weird, quasi-somnolent feeling to late November and December. People are having holiday parties, and they’re preparing for Thanksgiving or Hanukah or Christmas, and it seems like they just can’t be bothered with their jobs too much. I mean, it sucks when you’re actually trying to get something done, as I am right now before the end of the year (we’ll see if I’ll be able to!), but I also appreciate the fact that for quite a while at the end of the year, our country seems to slow down a little bit. It’s illusory to a degree, and the Tangerine Fuckwit occupying the White House makes sure that we can’t relax too much, but in general, December — despite everyone running around trying to create a “perfect” holiday — has more of a chill vibe than we usually get in this country. At least that’s how it seems to me. Maybe it’s because the weather here is actually nice at this time, but I remember, in school, for instance, this kind of weird vibe where the teachers were trying to do mid-terms but also not giving much of a fuck because it was almost their break. It was odd, but kind of neat.
So that’s what I like most about the “holiday season.” What’s your favorite thing about it?
I’m not the biggest fan of this season. The obligaties happiness pisses me of. Luckely we don’t have parents anymore we have to visit and we both don’t demand our children to visit us. Some would have to make 3 visits.
The thing I like about this time of year is radiostations play lists of top 1.000 (prog songs), 2.000 and 4.000 songs (of all time) to listen too.
Songs you’ll never hear the rest of the year.
Merry christmas to all.
I agree that it seems like people force happiness, which is a bummer. I still like the season!
Yours is an excellent answer, though. You’re right — the countdowns are very cool!
Merry Christmas, sir!
I am a staunch, firm, zero-waffle Atheist. I work for a Jewish organization. My main volunteer gig is on the grounds of a Buddhist temple.
And I mmmmmight be one of the most Crazy-For-Christmas people you will ever come across. Pretty much once the stores start stocking Halloween candy, my daughter and I are, like, “Welp– the Holidays are here!!!”, and it becomes one months-long holiday season through New Years– with a surge for each of the separate traditional holidays therein. But– Christmas is always the Big Finale. . .
The explosive, colorful chaos of the decorations and lights is a primary joy for me– and at this point part of the ceiling of my shop has them in place permanently now.
The music never fails to improve my outlook in increasingly difficult times.
And while I whole-heartedly agree that the naked, crass commercialism is its own kind of blight, and that false sincerity or forced-cheer are all too often on display for appearances’ sake– I do try to take my cue from Nephew Fred in A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and smile at the parties who are so deeply missing the point (and are driven by avarice alone), and not let their failings become my own burden— and continue to wish them well.
Dickens’ CHRISTMAS CAROL is one of my favorite works of literature. And I’ve played Scrooge (among several other roles) a number of times. The themes of redemption, of fellowship, of the inherent valid humanity of all people, of selflessly giving aid to those who need it (“Great Power/Great Responsibility”)– they all speak to our often-unheeded drive to be our Best Selves if at all possible. And– these are not themes that have ever been under the stewardship of any single faith or belief system, in spite of the holiday as we commonly know it being largely transplanted and then claimed by a very specific single one. (My subversive self is very much in the camp of “Christmas is for Everyone. . . not just Christians!”)
I could go on for flippin’ ever on this topic. (Heh— and often do–). So, I’ll leave off here, eh? ‘Tis enough– ’twill serve!
HB
That’s pretty awesome. I’m glad it brings you so much joy!
My favourite thing about Christmas is when it’s over.
Sorry but I just can’t get on with the faked niceness of it all, people wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to make themselves feel good, then the selfish fucks totally ignore you for the rest of the year.
Fuck them and fuck Christmas, rant over.
I will however watch Plains, Trains and Automobiles.
conrad: I’m not sure if your corn flakes have been pissed in enough! 🙂
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is an excellent movie!
I am literally the embodiment of The Grinch these days, much to the dismay of my long suffering wife☺️
Plains Trains is indeed awesome, Steve Martin still holds the award for greatest on screen rant!
I think for me the best thing is the break from the norm. A rest from work and, maybe, a chance to do some catching-up on my reading.
The thing I like the least is the majority of Christmas food – turkey, brussel sprouts, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, mince pies, etc are not for me. Though I like chocolate logs, Tunis cakes and pigs-in-blankets (and I would be fine with a lasagna). During covid lockdown, I spent Christmas by myself so my Christmas dinner was cod with sweet potato chips.
We have ham for Christmas dinner. Tasty! I don’t know if Brussels sprouts are a Christmas food, but they really should be a “never” food. Blech!
I always hated sprouts, until my wife cooked them for the first time.
She shreds and then pan fries them with Bacon and lots of butter, yummy or is that cheating?
My wife loves Brussels sprouts. She has yet to convert me. One of many things I hate because of school cooking in my youth.
Most people who hear me say that say you have to cook them that way, which seems like a way to cover up the taste. Just fry something good with bacon! 🙂 Even so, I’ve had them that way, and I can still taste them. The awful taste is too strong for me, even covered up!!!!
Brussel sprouts are great. Not with these Christmas days. A lot of kids in Holland don’t like them but I liked them right away. No turkey for us.
I wallow in Christmas movies and songs because for years I was spending most of Christmas by myself (there was usually someone inviting me to Christmas dinner). This year due to wrapping up Jekyll and Hyde and rewatching movies, I haven’t been able to marinate in Christmas stuff. It still feels like Christmas. Having TYG and the four pets, and a real tree (never did before moving up here) is, it turns out, all I need.
Though next year I’ll definitely be back to watching my favorite Christmas movies.
My wife thinks my daughter has never seen A Christmas Story, so we’re going to watch that on Christmas. I think she has and doesn’t remember it, so we shall see!
We’ll be watching that one tomorrow. We always do.
I am on Team Brussel Sprouts. I love them browned with peppers. But then, I also love a Reuben. My German heritage no doubt makes me pro-cabbage.
My mom made some sort of “creamed brussel sprout” dish that blew everyone away one year. It was from the Heart Association Cookbook, so it couldn’t have been too unhealthy (i.e. they weren’t just buried in butter and bacon, though that’s always a fine approach). It’s probably been twenty years since I’ve had it, and I’ve still not looked up that recipe. But I will!!
I do my best to avoid the season until about a week prior. We generally didn’t go all-in until after an uncle’s birthday on the 19th. But we kept our decorations up until Twelfth Night, so our celebration wasn’t short, so much as on time delay.
A shorter celebration time keeps it special. We have a local radio station that goes 24/7 on holiday songs before Veteran’s Day. I’ll start listening to the station again in January.
I’ve had my annual viewing of Darlene Love on Letterman, listened to “So This Is Christmas” (blasphemously The Alarm’s version), and revisited the original “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. My work is done.
Happy Holidays (as many as you can squeeze in) to all!