Anyone out shopping the Black Friday sales?! You couldn’t pay me to go in a store today. I’m not bah hum bug but I do feel the holidays have gotten out of hand – the consumerism, waste and stress.
The table top tree adorned with mini, multi-colored lights create holiday cheer and peace in my living space each year. That’s about all I need during this season.
If I were still in my daughter’s and grandchildren’s life I’d send them a gift. My favorite Christmas’s were the ones I spent creating as much magic as possible for my child.
I’ve become accustomed to and now prefer a quiet Christmas Day usually dog sitting, a hike with the dog or dogs, reading, writing, maybe a movie. It’s lovely, not lonely.
Last year HerStry published my essay about relationships and gift giving. Check it out. Wisdom Comes With Age.
I hope everyone had a delicious Thanksgiving. I was fully stuffed after attending two different Thanksgiving meals. The day after turkey sandwich always hits the spot!
Tag: holidays
Happy Halloween and Almost the End of Campaign Ads
We only have a few more days to endure the political ads, the flyers that go directly into the recycle bin. I think America would do well to shorten campaign season as many countries do.
In Canada, the minimum length for a campaign is 36 days, and the longest ever was 74 days (in 1926);
In Australia, the campaign must be a minimum of 33 days (the longest ever was 11 weeks in 1910);
In France, the official election campaign usually lasts no more than 2 weeks;
In Japan, campaigning is allowed for 12 days;
In Singapore, the minimum length is 9 days.
I learned from watching Impact on Montana PBS that Montana tops the nation in the number of Senate ads and learned the impact the Citizens United decision has on current campaigns and voters.
Do you enjoy Halloween?
I do, it’s a fun holiday during my favorite season of the year. There’s no pressure to make the perfect meal, buy presents, listen to carols for months on end, you know all the hoopla that happens as soon as Halloween is over. The commercials start coming at you, buy, buy, buy.
For Halloween, the children get so excited about what they are going to dress up as and all the candy they’ll be given just for being cute or scary. I love carving the pumpkin, lighting it up just as the trick or treaters start out on their mission.
Last year, I was dog sitting for golden retriever, Max. His neighborhood goes all out with decorations. Little ghosts, witches and goblins knock on doors shooting treat or trick. Max, wearing his Halloween scarf, made sure to step out to greet them all and get a pat or two. He and I will be doing it again this year.
Max is also cheering me on as I write my book proposal so I may begin querying agents for my memoir. Stay tuned!
Happy Halloween from me and Max.
Essay Came Out at Insider
It’s -15 degrees with a wind chill of -30. I’m going nowhere today. Thankful to be in between pet sits for a couple of days at home, snuggling with Brenda the cat. A house mate came home with lots of food from his work (a grocery store) ground beef and spaghetti included. I volunteered to make a pot of spaghetti today. It’s my kind of day; cooking, reading and not going out in the cold.
Tomorrow, temps will start to warm up considerably and I’ll be with a great dog in a great house for the weekend, sharing a meal with a friend on Christmas Eve.
I mainly wanted to share with you, my essay that came out in Insider yesterday.
https://www.insider.com/woman-is-estranged-from-her-only-child-doesnt-celebrate-christmas-2022-12
I do hope you have a peaceful safe holiday.
Thanks for reading.
Love is bigger than any grim, bleak shit anyone can throw at us. Anne Lamott
“Hope is not about proving anything. It’s about choosing to believe this one thing, that love is bigger than any grim, bleak shit anyone can throw at us.” ~@ANNELAMOTT
This holiday season, I’m believing it Anne. Holidays have become so different from what I was brought up to believe they are all about. Lots of decorations, lots of presents, parties, food, family and sometimes drunk daddies. All of that did feel magical at times, the anticipation of Santa and what he would bring was real and exciting. No matter how old I get, I can feel that on Christmas Eve, as ridiculous of an idea that it is. Maybe I kinda like that feeling for a moment though. Is it possible that there is magic, is it possible a gift will be left tomorrow, even if it is a phone call from a loved one?
Even though we did have a pile of presents before us as we entered the living room on Christmas morning, I don’t remember what the presents were, except for the sting ray bike. I still have a picture of me on it. We did some miles together and made some memories. A few fond Christmas memories stick with me: the year we had children from the orphanage over to make cookies and the times we visited the orphanage after that. Our time with orphans was a project my mama was involved in through the Junior League or church. I’m not sure which one, but it was her duty to society none the less. I loved it. I also love the memory of running around Christmas eve day delivering presents of baked goods or the like to friends and neighbors. And Christmas Eve service at church was always calming with the candles lit and carols being sung.
Aside from those memories, it all felt like a lot of show. Once I moved to Montana in the 80’s, my older brother lived here in Missoula as well. Christmas Eve, we shared a meal then geared up for a cross country ski at the neighborhood golf course. Silently sliding across the glistening moonlit snow ❄️ I felt warmth, peace and love.
I have a little bit of Christmas in me this year for whatever reason. I won’t be buying any presents. I will be hiking with friends, gathering greenery to decorate with. Some baking will happen. Baked goods will be delivered to dear friends. There will be warmth, peace and love. Wishing you the same.
Fscottwrites 