Now that Thanksgiving is over, I can sit back and recover from the activity. I’m not sure of anyone else, but a holiday like Thanksgiving takes a lot out of me. Of course, it turns me on a lot, but that’s another story.
The kind lady of the parsonage and hers were truly catching their breath just after our Thanksgiving feast. I was enjoying the quiet moment when my wife said to me, “Do you know what time it is?”
I glanced at my wristwatch and said, “It’s 8:30 sharp.”
My wife gave me one of those looks, I was tempted not to catch myself and I said, “That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”
This is the problem I have. My wife assumes that I know exactly what she is talking about every time she talks. To be honest, it’s a rare day that Yours Truly knows exactly what the wife is talking about every time she talks. This could be why I get into trouble with her from time to time.
Then he continued. “What I mean is, do you know what time it is now?”
I was tempted to say, “It’s 8:32,” but I learned my lesson, so I casually asked, “No, what time is it?”
He sighed deeply and said, “It’s time to get the Christmas decorations out of the attic and decorate our house for Christmas.”
Hearing those words, I immediately froze in my chair. I was hoping that this year there would be a thank-you break between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I must say that I am quite a fan of both parties and everything they represent. However, I would certainly like to get past one before entering the other.
“You will have to go up to the attic and lower all our boxes of Christmas decorations.”
I don’t enjoy this job. I go into the attic twice a year; once to put down the Christmas decorations and once to get them back when Christmas is over. If someone were to seek my opinion on this whole matter, I would immediately think that twice a year is twice as much for me.
I don’t like the attic. It’s dark and creepy up there. I’m not quite sure who or what lives in the attic, but I do hear some terribly strange noises coming from there regularly, especially in the middle of the night. I am not suggesting that a ghost may be living in our attic, but the opposite has not been proven.
I don’t believe in ghosts, but a person can’t be too careful these days.
If I could have one wish for this time of year, I think it would be that the next vacation doesn’t start before the last ones are long enough. I’m not sure if it’s my age or what, but this vacation is coming fast and furious. As soon as you get into the holiday spirit, the next holiday is knocking on your door.
I don’t think it’s too irrational a wish. After all, there is a three-week period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, which I think should be used quite wisely.
Even around our Thanksgiving table, everyone was chatting about what to expect for Christmas. Everyone seemed to be playing old St. Nick and checking their Christmas list twice.
I remember when I was a kid we installed the Christmas tree and all the decorations on Christmas Eve. Then on New Year’s Day, everything would be saved for another year. That gave us about a week to enjoy the Christmas decorations.
I am almost about to say Happy Holidays, for the simple reason that I am not quite sure what holiday we are celebrating. Is it Thanksgiving? Or maybe it’s Christmas? Or, again, it may be New Years Day. Whoever designed these parties so closely needs to rethink the strategy here.
Another wish you might have. Holidays should not be an excuse to go shopping. Someone should pass some kind of congressional bill that says people should stay home on vacation. Holidays should be a family affair. It shouldn’t be a contest to see who can spend the most money in one day. I know I am alone on this subject, but I don’t care. It’s my opinion and I’ll keep it to myself, thank you.
The day after Thanksgiving, I heard someone on the radio singing, “We wish you a Merry Christmas.” I don’t mind if you wish me a Merry Christmas, but I would like you to wait until Christmas to wish me such compliments.
Even Jesus recognized the importance of rest. “And he said to them: Come yourselves apart to a deserted place, and rest a little; for there were many who came and went, and they did not even have time to eat.” (Mark 6:31).
Then I heard that a certain store in our community did not allow any of its employees to say to any customer: “Merry Christmas.” To which I, seeing the challenge before me, quickly went to that store, not to buy anything, but to wish everyone that I saw “Merry Christmas”. After all, in such circumstances, you can’t start wishing people Merry Christmas too early.
