The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I spent some chunk of last week handing out refreshments to parents at the performances of Freelance’s youngest troupes. At the end of our small talk, I wished them well and happy holidays because we don’t start up again until January. So that encompassed a whole lot of holidays. Except, in those conversational passages, many of us said, wow, can you believe it’s Thanksgiving already?

Time flies. It seems the last two weeks I have been working longer days… and very busy days at that. So November was a blip on the radar. Whoosh. Gone. And here we are. The holiday season.

I actually really, really, really love this time of year. But I think my affection can be a double-edged sword. Because… if things aren’t a certain way… if I’m not a certain way (too busy, too distracted, too unhappy with the status quo), then I get annoyed and impatient and don’t want to think of the season. And when it doesn’t go away, I just want it to be over. 

I lost track of the number of Facebook statuses lamenting the premature broadcasting of Christmas music. Yeah, it can be a little ridiculous before the jack-o-lanterns blow out their candles. I know last year I typed my own grievance. But it is a little hypocritical because I usually play Charlie Brown Christmas once or twice in July… because it makes me happy. Christmas music generally makes me happy… to think of this most wonderful time of the year. To remember when I heard those songs as a kid and started anticipating that really special, amazing day. It doesn’t hurt to be reminded of such things. 

Because… with the perspective of my grownup self, I know that half of that joy was the anticipation. The excitement of thinking how amazing and cool that day was going to be. Not just the presents, but seeing my cousins and getting to play in the attic and go sledding on the golf course. That was what made Christmas a day to treasure and relish with each breath-holding moment of waiting. And Thanksgiving was not a gauntlet thrust on the ground to prepare. It was the opening of the floodgate letting me know that I could really be excited now. That Christmas was that much closer. Close enough to count down with the teddy bear calendar.

Okay, yeah. Work is busy. There are places to go and people I really should see. Lots to fit in over the next few weeks. And I suppose… there even is that gift buying thing. But this year, I’m just going to not care. I am going to let my heart free and relive that delicious relish of the fact it is here.