Ba Humbug?

I'm so grateful that Christmas is here because that means it's almost over. I keep it pretty laid back because I hate the obligatory nature of gift giving during this time. It's not that I don't like giving gifts. I love surprising someone with an invite to do something fun or giving something out of the blue just because I happened to be thinking about them or discovered something that they might enjoy. I really don't mind buying Solstice/Christmas gifts for the kids in my life. I remember getting excited as a kid about this time of year. My Mom would want a Christmas list so I poured over the Sears catalogue to get ideas.

I've gotten much better at receiving gifts from people who genuinely love giving gifts to almost everyone they know and not feeling guilty that I did not have something for them in return. I just figure I don't give gifts in order to get gifts so I assume they feel the same way.

Also there are all these expectations about family gatherings and the day is built up to some kind of all-or-nothing proposition. I've disappointed my birth family once again. I'm apparently selfish for not wanting to hassle the long drive to be with people who judged the hell out of decisions I've made for my life.

Besides that, I'm not a Christian so the joy of baby Jesus being born in the spring (oh I'm sorry, I mean - inaccurately - on this holiest of holy days) escapes me. Here is a funny song by Dar Williams called "The Christians and the Pagans" that you might find amusing.

I wish everyone a calm, peaceful Christmas day. Like Al-anon people will say, "It's only Thursday." Happy Thursday!