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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

KIOS Days 23, 24 and 25

I thought I was going to be able to post everyday once the work stopped flowing – but I forgot that I was completely unprepared for Christmas... did some holiday shopping, drove some friends to the airport, helped my folks prepare food and the days evaporated. However, I am awake insanely early as usual and finally have time to catch up. AND, I'm still following Rule #2.

Day 25: Holiday Traditions

I'm not a big fan of Christmas. For years, I got depressed and cranky for the whole month of December. I called it "H-SAD: Holiday Seasonal Affective Disorder". I've worked that out mostly and now, if I get H-SAD at all, it usually only lasts for a couple of days.

So, I'm not much for holiday traditions. I haven't put up a tree in years. But, I guess the one thing I do still like is stuffing stockings. When my sister and I were 12 and 10 years old, respectively, we first stuffed stockings for our mom and step-dad. They were so surprised! And delighted! We don't do presents in our family anymore (except for the kids) but we do still stuff stockings. Opening them is fun, but stuffing them is the best part. I stuff my mom's, she stuffs mine and we both stuff everybody else's who's in the house on a given Christmas. Everyone contributes to everyone else's stocking. Some things are wrapped, some are not, and we open them in a circle: everyone takes an item out in turn so we can all watch each other's faces and see the enjoyment of the gift. We try to stuff them with useful things - socks and mittens and pot scrubbers – but also with joke gifts – and nuts and fruit and candy.

Day 24: Holiday Disasters

Ummm, I don't want to talk about it. I'm just glad Jamie and Shannon are warm, if not internetted, and I wish safety and comfort to all who lack them as quickly as possible.

Day 23: Books

My very favourite book ever, is Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger. It's all about art and finding one's way in the world – as an artist, as a human being. It's full of affection, cleverness, charm and philosophy. A deep, deeply enjoyable and funny book.

3 comments:

  1. I get H-SAD too. Mine starts right before Thanksgiving and lasts through valentines. Ugh. I hope you have a wonderful day!
    Happy Holidays
    blessings
    ~*~

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    1. Sorry to hear you have a month and a half to go, Laura! Mine is usually all better by New Year's Eve. Take care!

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  2. Well I think your Christmas tradition sounds like so much fun. I am a huge fan of holidays, and I get a different kind of SAD. The kind that goes like this: I get all excited about Christmas coming, my favorite holiday of all, I make my lists (gifts to buy, cards to send, decorations to put up, etc.), I do all the stuff on my list just in the nick of time and am so happy and proud of myself for it and looking forward to the big days (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), and then—each year, for the past 5, with total consistency—I get hit with a metaphorical two-by-four to the side of the head by some terribly uncaring, uncouth, nasty behavior (as it most certainly seems to me) from one family member or four. And I tell myself to remember this next year so there's not another repeat. And then I completely forget, or just have high hopes the next year. But, it could be much worse. I'm so sorry for all those dealing with this ice storm! Wishing you a wonderful New Year! Thanks for stopping by my blog!

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