i got an email today about a secret santa thing people at work want to do. my first thought? please god no - there's no way i'm doing this. it was voluntary, thank goodness, so i will not be taking part.
i've never been a big fan of holidays; it throws off my routine, and everyone around me always seems so much more excited about them than me.
i see people get excited about thanksgiving, or 4th of july, while i think to myself what am i going to do with myself on that day? i've never liked doing the traditional holiday things, like eating, or seeing fireworks, or parades.
i feel like getting excited about holidays the same way i feel about eating meat - i don't care if you want to do it, i just don't want to.
because of this anti-holiday guy that i am, december can be rough to get through - traveling (which i don't particularly enjoy), gift-buying (which i don't particularly enjoy), socializing (which i don't particularly enjoy), and general merriment.
i'm a little grinchy, to be honest.
the thing that i actually grew to like a great deal, about the month of december, was the annual mom birthday-gift-buying battle, and the mom birthday-gift-giving that happened on her birthday.
my mother's birthday is on the 25th of december and as an adult, i've seen that date far more as being my mom's birthday, than christmas.
the battle would begin by her saying she wanted nothing for her birthday. i would ignore this, then spend weeks trying to find the gift for the person who wants nothing. i never really enjoyed this, but did enjoy the back and forth we would have on the phone as i would try and get something out of her that would give me a hint about what might be the gift to get her that year.
i also always liked watching my mother open her birthday presents, somewhat embarrassed, saying 'thank you, uncle don' to my uncle, her brother-in-law. i liked the way she reacted to everyone making a fuss about her birthday, because she really wished we hadn't - really.
this will be the second year where that battle doesn't happen; where i won't hear my mother say 'thank you, uncle don'.
so, while i hope everyone has the december they wish for, and wish nothing but the best for you and your family this month, the grinchy, anti-holiday guy, just wants to get me through december, so i can start again.
i've never been a big fan of holidays; it throws off my routine, and everyone around me always seems so much more excited about them than me.
i see people get excited about thanksgiving, or 4th of july, while i think to myself what am i going to do with myself on that day? i've never liked doing the traditional holiday things, like eating, or seeing fireworks, or parades.
i feel like getting excited about holidays the same way i feel about eating meat - i don't care if you want to do it, i just don't want to.
because of this anti-holiday guy that i am, december can be rough to get through - traveling (which i don't particularly enjoy), gift-buying (which i don't particularly enjoy), socializing (which i don't particularly enjoy), and general merriment.
i'm a little grinchy, to be honest.
the thing that i actually grew to like a great deal, about the month of december, was the annual mom birthday-gift-buying battle, and the mom birthday-gift-giving that happened on her birthday.
my mother's birthday is on the 25th of december and as an adult, i've seen that date far more as being my mom's birthday, than christmas.
the battle would begin by her saying she wanted nothing for her birthday. i would ignore this, then spend weeks trying to find the gift for the person who wants nothing. i never really enjoyed this, but did enjoy the back and forth we would have on the phone as i would try and get something out of her that would give me a hint about what might be the gift to get her that year.
i also always liked watching my mother open her birthday presents, somewhat embarrassed, saying 'thank you, uncle don' to my uncle, her brother-in-law. i liked the way she reacted to everyone making a fuss about her birthday, because she really wished we hadn't - really.
this will be the second year where that battle doesn't happen; where i won't hear my mother say 'thank you, uncle don'.
so, while i hope everyone has the december they wish for, and wish nothing but the best for you and your family this month, the grinchy, anti-holiday guy, just wants to get me through december, so i can start again.
You crack me up :)
ReplyDeleteI'd be curious to see if any of these feelings change once you have children. The way they see everything for the first time, so magical and joyous.... but you bah-humbug for now, and as always, thanks for sharing :o)
ReplyDelete