Everyday things… II

Nothing says “Happy Holidays” like…

I have this addiction to those “irresistible headline” things. It all started when I began checking the Snopes site because of all the hoax e-mails. I would dutifully go check it out, then reply back to the ridiculous e-mail with the Snopes link.

Then I discovered the “Daily Snopes” section, a collection of fun, silly and sometimes just strange headlines and news stories. We have a fairly regular column featuring “stupid crook” type stories, so it rapidly became a starting place to discover new info (prompting a deeper delve for more details). Usually, it’s full of stories that make me want to ask, “How thick can ya get?”

Just lately, there have been a couple that I thought were pretty cool… and in the spirit of the holidays, I want to share them.

Apparently, in the great state of Vermont, some guy is playing Santa and handing out cash.

Shoppers in the Rutland area have been surprised by a total stranger handing them a Christmas card – even more surprising is that the cards contain $50 in cash.

The anonymous gentleman had written a letter to a local paper saying he planned to give out $600 this season in an effort to “open a heart or two.”

The other story that had me shaking my head in wonder?

Only in California!

Police in Rancho Cordova, California have started pulling people over for good driving.

Why would they do this? Well, to give them a $5 gift card to Starbucks as a “thank you” for being a good driver, of course.

While I applaud the idea of rewarding good drivers, and I think it’s terrific that the local police are doing something creative, somehow, I don’t think seeing the flashing lights and the cop in your mirror is quite a nice reward, and the $5 from Starbucks is not enough to make up for my now being late to work.

Gee, thanks Officer!

Count Your Blessings & De-stress!

Prompted by the constant onslaught of “how do you keep so calm with all the holiday stress?” stuff, and updated for 2007. If anything, I’m more relaxed this year, less stressed, enjoying what I have and not worrying about what I don’t.

This year, we’ll be doing a lot of driving at Christmas. The kids are with their dad, and we’re going to visit my sister, and then the BF’s parents - driving over the holiday weekend does not thrill me, but family does!

Is it crazy? Sure. Whose holiday isn’t? But that’s OK. It really is!

~~~

R.

Along with the holidays comes the immeasurable stress. The hassles of shopping, cooking, traveling, etc. All the extra people in our homes. Or the crowded homes of relatives. And like many women, I often feel overwhelmed by it all. On a message board I like to frequent, another Mom asked the question, “How do you deal with all the holiday stress?” As I sat back and thought about it for a moment, it occurred to me that I really didn’t feel stressed. On the contrary, I feel rather relaxed this season.

Do I have less to do than usual? No. More, in fact. Is there less stress, less hassle, less anything this year? Again, no. This year is much crazier, much more stressful than years past. So, what is the reason for my calm state? And then it hit me. Here is what I said:

I take a deep breath and remind myself what all the fuss is about! Seriously - I look at the bright side of things, and try to focus on the good stuff.

When family gets overwhelming — I think how much I miss my Grandfather, and how I wish he was still around to see my kids growing up. This year, 2007, I also think about Mom - this is our first Christmas without her. Suddenly, that family that IS around seems all the more precious.

House too full? I remind myself of all the people spending the holidays alone. I visit a nursing home, and see the lonely faces that brighten up at the sight of a stranger. My full house doesn’t seem so cramped anymore.

Stress over whose house to visit? At least there is a choice. Sit back, smile, make a “take turns” schedule and rejoice that you have so much family to choose from. Think of the soldiers, or others, away from home — who don’t HAVE that choice to make, I’m sure they’d be glad to have several places to visit.

All of the other hectic, crazy, holiday insanity? For every piece of negative — I can think of some positive. I can think of some reason to appreciate what I have.

I have a beautiful home (yes, it means decorating.) I have lots of family (a crowded house, lots to buy, cook, etc.) And for all of the hassle — I am thankful.

I miss the loved ones who are no longer here, and I would gladly put yet another plate on my table, another gift under the tree for them.

I don’t love holiday travel — but last year, I would have happily driven all over the country and back to have Mom with us at Christmas. Last year, she was ill and couldn’t travel — and life being what it was I couldn’t take the kids to her. This year, it’s not even an option and guess what? I’d cram my kids, all the food, all the packages and everything into a Mini Cooper with the tree tied on top, then drive across country and back if I could have one more Christmas with Mom.

So — how do I handle the stress? I count the blessings I have! Yes, those blessings mean more stress. But there are so many others who have far less than I.

The Christmas Tree Ball Munching Boxer From Hell

I have, on occasion, talked about Daisy, the Christmas Tree Ball Munching Boxer From Hell - and I thought it finally time to introduce that maniacal bundle of cyclonic canine cuteness to the folks around here.

Daisy is as typical a Boxer as you could possibly hope for, cute in a squashed-face, sad-eyed sort of way, incredibly full of energy, and absolutely in love with her people. She is, by and large, a very good doggy. But last Christmas, she was apparently convinced those shiny things on the Christmas tree were Doggy Toys put there for her enjoyment, and the damn dog managed to ruin not one or two of the nice glass balls, but more like one or two dozen of them. Her holiday hi-jinks prompted this post:

There is shredded wrapping paper all over my house, boxes strewn everywhere and gifts tossed willy-nilly all around. There’s a suspicious stain on my living room carpet, the tree looks slightly askew and the dining room table is a mess. The lights and stockings that once hung so nice and straight are crooked and drooping, the pine garland that was wrapped around my banister is hanging drunken-like over the couch and the candles that were on the table are nowhere to be seen.

No, it’s not the aftermath of a Christmas party, and it isn’t the day after Christmas. It was just last night. I had some errands to run, plus had to get my nails done for Christmas (what’s the holiday without sparkly red nail polish right?) and when we came home, Daisy The Christmas Tree Ball Munching Boxer From Hell - she who had denuded the lower third of my tree - had turned into some cyclonic whirl wind of hyperkinetic doggy energy and had somehow:

~Pulled presents off the dining room table - knocking everything there all over. (most gifts were in the closet - these had just come in from my Sister.)

~Chewed said wrapping and boxes apart - spreading the havoc all over the lower floors.

~Tossed the contents into the far reaches of the living room, dining room, office and kitchen.

~Somehow in her running around - knocked into the tree, pulling more lights and the tree askew.

~Somehow pawed the stockings that hang on a mantle that is 5 feet above the floor - hello, how in the world????

~Decided the pine garland on the banister needed to be played with and pulled it half off and onto the couch.

~Apparently got overly excited - or overly tangled? - and had an accident on the living room floor (that hasn’t happened in a long time…)

~And I don’t think I want to know where my candles are, OK?

It’s not like she doesn’t get exercised daily. It’s not like she doesn’t get played with and it’s not like she doesn’t have doggy toys!

However, she is a 1 1/2 year old Boxer and I know that means bundle of nearly uncontrollable energy combined with doggy who wants to be named Class Clown.

When we got home - she was standing at the top of the steps, wiggling, waggling and “kidney beaning” to beat the band - and looking rather sheepish while she was at it.

So, she’s been banished to the dreaded Minimum Security Laundry Room Doggy Penitentiary - Doggyville - until we can get the mess cleaned up and figure out how to better Daisy-proof the house. (She does have the run of the laundry room - which ain’t too tiny - and at least she’s not in the Maximum Security Unit of Doggyville - The Crate.)

The bizarre part is this is not her normal behavior. I really think it’s just that last Christmas, her first, all the Christmas stuff was kept in another room - where she was not allowed (different house - I was able to close off the dining room) and my ex would keep her in the crate all day while we were away at work, and all night while we slept.

This year, I can’t close off the stuff, and she’s been having the run of the downstairs area for six months now - she had never taken to the crate, and my ex always had to force her into it, so as soon as she came here - I was leaving the crate open to see what she would do. It wasn’t too long before the crate was abandoned. She has a doggy bed and a favorite spot under a table.

Ah, the joys of being owned by a dog.

It remains to be seen what this year will bring. I’ve already put up some decorations, but the tree will wait until mid-December. I’m seriously considering simply not decorating the lower three or four feet!

And this loverly shot - let’s not discuss how long it took me to unwind her from the maze of guy-lines she had weaved herself through.

It has to be said, though - she’s really a damn good dog, and most of the time, knows her doggy manners very well.

It’s a wonderful time…

…it’s the greatest time of the year! Time for singing and dancing and time for joy and good cheer! Look at all of those presents just waiting there by the tree…

OK, so I grew up with the Chipmunks, what can I say?

It is, however, nearly “officially” Christmas time - for my family, the “season” always started the weekend after Thanksgiving. That’s when the songs started, the decorations started going up and it started to feel a lot like Christmas.

This will be a Christmas filled with firsts for me - last year was my “first” after leaving my marriage. This year will be the first (since becoming a parent) without the kids (they’re spending Christmas with their Dad). It will also be the first without Mom.

I have already taken down the Halloween decorations and the boxes of Christmas goodies have been hauled out.

I love the trappings of Christmas - I love the ribbons, the garland, the lights and the tree! It has to be a REAL tree too, one that smells beautiful and drops pine needles on the floor.

I even love dealing with Daisy, the Christmas Tree Ball Munching Boxer From Hell (I need to dig that post up and put it here sometime…) whose presence mandates that I refrain from decorating the lower three feet of tree with anything I value.

Though many may mourn the passing of the “true” meaning of Christmas, lamenting the lack of nativity scenes and being curmudgeonly about the commercialism - those are things I can happily block out. I may despise the marketing minions who, in their quest for the almighty buck, decided to put Santa up next to the Mummy way back during the Back-To-School sales, and I may miss the beauty of the public nativity (we still have one around here, thank you!) I’m simply enamored with the whole season.

It just seems that people are nicer. There are more opportunities to reach out beyond yourself, and more people do it with joy.

And there’s more than Christmas. That very same commercialism took a minor Jewish holiday like Chanukah and brought it to the eyes of many. Sure, there is a down side, but I challenge anyone to not find peace and beauty in the Festival of Lights! Skeptics may accuse Kwanzaa of being a “made up” holiday, but how can anyone be a Grinch about celebrating family?

So this coming weekend, despite the fact that I have so much else that needs doing, the decorations are starting! The laundry can wait while I hang the stockings and the vacuuming will simply be done after all the garland is draped and the lights are lit.

I even get to add to my decorations this year. Last year it was pretty basic - tree, garland, stockings, ornaments and lights. What shall I add this year? More garland? More lights? Lots of candles?

And with that, some thoughts on Christmas, not from me, but from others who have put it so well that I simply could never hope to do better:

Mary Ellen Chase
Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.

Robert Lynd
Were I a philosopher, I should write a philosophy of toys, showing that nothing else in life need to be taken seriously, and that Christmas Day in the company of children is one of the few occasions on which men become entirely alive.

Joan Winmill Brown
Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given, when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes.

Augusta E. Rundel
Christmas… that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance — a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.

And saving my two favorites for last:

Dale Evans Rogers
Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.

Dr. Seuss
And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?