Tonight's Poet Corner: Introspection
Here's the thing: Halloween might be my favorite holiday. I may gush about it. But one thing I truly love is the Christmas season.
Christmas is #2 on my list of favorite holidays (Thanksgiving is #3), and what makes Christmas so special to me are the little things that come with the twenty-five days I pay attention it (You will not see me celebrate Christmas until December 1st; end of story). Yes, the tree and the lights and the presents and the decorations are all wonderful. To me, they create warmth and spirit and positive feelings overall, regardless of whether or not you're a pagan or Christian. But I want to mention, in quick succession, some of the nuances of the Christmas season that I adore.
I love Christmas music; Christmas carols are great, but I'm partial to Celtic music and to Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas. I love advent calendars; the chocolates are not that tasty, but the concept of it is just fun to me. I love being able to put on green and red and wear holiday-themed sweaters and sweater vests and neckties. I love Santa hats and wreath pins and Christmas light earrings (and I barely wear earrings; think about that for a bit). I love walking downtown and looking at all the colors and glowing spectacles, all while there's a nip in the air, and I can see my breath floating in front of my face.
I love being able to pour myself a hot chocolate and stir it with a candy cane, or settle down with a glass of schnapps and mint Irish cream, sitting by the tree with my loved ones and just enjoying the ambiance.
I love wrapping presents! I used to hate it. Then I started working at a bookstore and learned the tricks. Now I'm proud of my wrapping jobs.
I love Christmas-themed food. Peppermint, cinnamon, chocolate. Not just the sweet stuff, either. My family, every year, will have a crab feast.
I used to go to church every Christmas Eve and enjoy seeing the decorations and the gleam of the night through the stained glass windows, as the choir sang carols. I miss that, but despite my not really being Catholic anymore, maybe I'll go back. Maybe.
I love being able to celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah with my fiancée. Latkes are awesome. So is playing dreidel for chocolate coins.
But most of all, I love the stories. I think you folks can understand why.
I know it's really easy to get caught up in the consumerism of the holiday. I know that, if you don't have family to enjoy the season with, it can feel cold and lonesome and painful. For anyone who wants to enjoy the holiday but can't, I hope one day you will find love and warmth. For anyone who hates the holiday out of principle, knock yourself out. You do you.
In the meantime, I'm going to buy some mistletoe and dangle it over my fiancée's head so she can kiss me. Not that she needs an excuse, anyway.
Have a great night and a great weekend, everyone.
Christmas is #2 on my list of favorite holidays (Thanksgiving is #3), and what makes Christmas so special to me are the little things that come with the twenty-five days I pay attention it (You will not see me celebrate Christmas until December 1st; end of story). Yes, the tree and the lights and the presents and the decorations are all wonderful. To me, they create warmth and spirit and positive feelings overall, regardless of whether or not you're a pagan or Christian. But I want to mention, in quick succession, some of the nuances of the Christmas season that I adore.
I love Christmas music; Christmas carols are great, but I'm partial to Celtic music and to Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas. I love advent calendars; the chocolates are not that tasty, but the concept of it is just fun to me. I love being able to put on green and red and wear holiday-themed sweaters and sweater vests and neckties. I love Santa hats and wreath pins and Christmas light earrings (and I barely wear earrings; think about that for a bit). I love walking downtown and looking at all the colors and glowing spectacles, all while there's a nip in the air, and I can see my breath floating in front of my face.
I love being able to pour myself a hot chocolate and stir it with a candy cane, or settle down with a glass of schnapps and mint Irish cream, sitting by the tree with my loved ones and just enjoying the ambiance.
I love wrapping presents! I used to hate it. Then I started working at a bookstore and learned the tricks. Now I'm proud of my wrapping jobs.
I love Christmas-themed food. Peppermint, cinnamon, chocolate. Not just the sweet stuff, either. My family, every year, will have a crab feast.
I used to go to church every Christmas Eve and enjoy seeing the decorations and the gleam of the night through the stained glass windows, as the choir sang carols. I miss that, but despite my not really being Catholic anymore, maybe I'll go back. Maybe.
I love being able to celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah with my fiancée. Latkes are awesome. So is playing dreidel for chocolate coins.
But most of all, I love the stories. I think you folks can understand why.
I know it's really easy to get caught up in the consumerism of the holiday. I know that, if you don't have family to enjoy the season with, it can feel cold and lonesome and painful. For anyone who wants to enjoy the holiday but can't, I hope one day you will find love and warmth. For anyone who hates the holiday out of principle, knock yourself out. You do you.
In the meantime, I'm going to buy some mistletoe and dangle it over my fiancée's head so she can kiss me. Not that she needs an excuse, anyway.
Have a great night and a great weekend, everyone.
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