November 24, 2012
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Cranky people season.....
Ah, the bird has been stuffed and we have been stuffed by the bird and all the pretty side dishes and desserts that go with him. We've settled down in peace (or in cease fire) with our family and gotten through the Thanksgiving holiday.
Now it is time for cranky people season.
You know how it goes. The Christmas music cranks up and the shopping blitz is on. Stores bombard your newspaper with ads that weigh a ton and litter your floor when they fall out. The news reporters breathlessly report at the doors of stores opening (in some cases) Thanksgiving evening so that shoppers can get a head start on spending too much money.
Cranky season.
Just as much as you know that you will hear "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" at least 487 times, you know that you will run into one of the Christmas Cranks, those individuals who may or may not be cranky the rest of the year, but who really kick it into gear during the holidays.
Everything costs too much.
The music is too loud/too often/too stupid.
Those Salvation Army bell ringers are too annoying.
Why do people who cannot sing insist on creating caroling mobs?
That tree is wobbly/ugly/gonna catch fire.
You're gonna make a spoiled brat out of that kid if you buy them everything on that list.
And on and on and on.
You know who they are. Heck, you might even be one of them.
But here's the thing. This season takes us through the dark season of light here in the Northern Hemisphere (I know a cranky person would point out the Southern Hemisphere having summer if I didn't specify the hemisphere...sheesh!). Those colored lights brighten up the darkness, offer us some beauty in the
dark and in general let us beat back the uneasiness that darkness brings with it.
Yeah, some of the music is schtick, but it sticks in your head and lets you, for a moment at least, drive "gangnam style" out of your conscious.
The Salvation Army bell ringers are bringing in much needed money to help those who aren't having such a jolly season. Those big ticket items like food, clothing and shelter are supported by those who stand out in all kinds of weather to ring those bells.
As for the carolers? Well, not everybody can be on American Idol, X factor or any number of those so called talent shows. But everybody can be a star for one night or another....
I'm not a big fan of killing a real tree for a holiday, but if that's your thing, go for it. Please just remember to keep it well watered. Artificial trees do just fine...the ornaments stand as good of a chance on it - our over zealous cat will dismantle an artificial tree just as quickly as a real one.
As for those spoiled brats? For once in a year, and for most, an economically tough year, it's ok to spoil your kid just a little. Don't put yourself in the poorhouse to do it, but a ton of small packages under the tree filled with stuff is the thrill. It's all in the ripping and tearing, don't you know.....
So, cranky people? This season is for you. Go do what you do best. Be cranky. If Christmas did not exist, you would just find something else to be cranky about.
It's ok. We love you despite yourself.
That's the real spirit of Christmas.
Comments (3)
i found myself knodding along in agreement before I even read your post. At the starbucks i used to work at we were right by Walmart and as soon as the end of November and December came around there was a definate anger and distaste that settled in. I don't know if i've ever met such cranky people. I know that Christmas isn't all goodtimes for everyone, but man does the season bring out the worst in people alot of the time. I refuse to work on Christmas day and last year at our store there were people cursing out baristas and one year at my store the cops had to be called. Seriously people?!?
so here's hoping that people might get their eyes off themselves for just a moment...and perhaps have a bit of a better understand of the season.
Great post!
Just a thing to remember about the live trees - Tree farms utilize land that is literally no good for anything else. Christmas trees can grow on sandy, poor soil that will not support grains, vegetables. fruit trees, or even grazing animals. Tree farmers are constantly replanting trees, and birds and other animals can shelter in the trees while they are growing. I put up with reams of useless paperwork at work - a tree that is welcomed into your home and bedecked with baubles seems a better use of a tree than twenty-pages of test scores.
I haven't had a live tree myself for years - I can't seem to see the sense in it for just little old me. And my parents now put up a fake tree (note - not artificial, fake.) And I miss having a living thing to share the holiday with. One year I am going to get a tree with roots that I can replant in the yard. But not this year.
Was that cranky? I hope not. Merry Merry!
@mytoesareblue - Then you know all about cranky people...oy!
@DMMeyer - Live evergreens do well in bad soil, that's why they are planted where surface mining takes place. My father used to just stick the Christmas tree in the ground (if it wasn't frozen)...some grew, some didn't, but we certainly had an electic bunch of evergreens in our yard. The only one we left standing was a huge Norway Spruce that shelters hundreds of birds in winter. Friends of mine have standing fields of Christmas trees and they are a lot of work. I'm with you on the paper, but I still cannot reconcile for myself killing a tree for a month just to look pretty. I'd rather cover it with lights outside for that....
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