Thanksgiving is such an enjoyable time. It's sort of holiday-ish, but mostly Fall's Turkey Day serves as a focus for reflection. I need that sort of focus to avoid becoming self-absorbed. I hate selfishness, particularly when it is me being selfish. Thanksgiving helps keep me on the straight-and-narrow in that regard.
But, not Christmas.
While I enjoy Christmas day (watching the kids opening their gifts, and Mrs. Film Geek putting the drawers together for her new, shiny filing cabinet I got her as "the" gift), the Christmas season, in general, brings out all sorts of angst and frustration.
First, I'm a terrible picker-outer-of-gifts. I buy gifts that are boring, and tend to reason that if I like it, the gift-receiver should too. Secondly, the whole rush of Christmas frightens and confuses me. It's become a feeding frenzy, especially when we get closer to the 25th. And thirdly, I hate the freakin' snow and cold weather. I hate the brown hills, the something-other-than-green grass and the dirty roadways after the snow melts.
I know. I'm Scrooge.
One of the most anxiety-producing parts of the yuletide season for me is knowing when to begin--and end--greeting people with the phrase: "Happy holidays." I always thought the phrase is acceptable right after Thanksgiving and through New Year's Eve. But without exception, when I begin using it in early December, I get odd looks from passers-by. Just this morning, while passing an acquaintance on the stairwell to my office, I shot him the greeting.
Me: "Good morning, happy holidays."
Him: "Hi."
No "Happy holidays," or other friendly, seasonal greeting. Just: "Hi."
I feel the angst creeping in...
10 comments:
I also use the "Happy Holidays" greeting now because "Happy Hanukkah" caused too much confusion.
Hi Hoyt! I should have added that the phrase is inclusive of all the goings-on for this time of year, but I neglected to add that. Still, it's the timing of the phrase that freaks me out...or rather, not always understanding the timing of the phrase.
Anyway...Happy holidays, Hoyt!
I get that funk too. One way to cheer up is to mess with retail employees following corporate policies.
If the say "Merry Christmas," I say "sholom."
If they say "Happy Holidays," I say "Merry Christmas."
Please, do not get your wife a shiny filing cabinet for Christmas. Please.
OK, dear...
When in doubt, get them a Red Ryder BB gun (or an Italian lamp).
Hiya Undaground, thanks for stopping by! I'll add'em to the list.
I understand the whole Christmas angst thing. I wanted this year's holiday to be so great (same as every year). I don't see how I'm going to pull that off without spiking the family eggnog with heroin.
Angst and holidays just seem to go hand in hand. I am personally having my own tough time this holiday season for various reasons that have nothing to do with Christmas itself. However, I can see how a lot of people would find themselves feeling angst or depression when you consider the media glut of this season. How hard is it to justify being sad when everywhere you look you're seeing light displays, hearing Christmas songs, and seeing and hearing the endless commercials that all say the same thing ... "we're all happy, spend your money and be even happier, see how happy we all are now".
Okay, so I am a real curmudgeon when it comes to Christmas and commerce and how they intersect (in fact, I think I'll have to do a blog post on that). The modern message of this holiday season seems to be that if you're unhappy there must be something wrong with you. In reality there are lots of reasons to be upset with the holidays. Having a bad family life or a dysfunctional family certainly makes this time of year hard, remembering deceased loved ones, lamenting mistakes or bad decisions can also bring people down at this time of year.
To a certain extent I suppose that I hate it when I'm expected to conform to a societal expectation. The expectation in this sense is that we're all supposed to be happy celebrants of Christmas (and only Christmas). Anyone who bucks that expectation I think gets treated very harshly at this time of year and sometimes are even called things like "Scrooge" which I can imagine would be very hurtful.
I guess that what I'm saying is that if you see someone filled with angst this holiday season it may not be possible to cheer them up, but you can at least give them a pat and tell them that things will get better and not to let it drag you down too far. Whatever the problem I think that we can subscribe to the wisdom that it will pass eventually and your feelings of failure, inadequacy, or loss will also pass away into the winter wind.
Was it an acquaintance I am familiar with, as well? If so, then you already know the reason! LOL.
Post a Comment