What I'll Miss About The Holidays

Last night as I took down our Christmas decorations, I began to think of all I've already started missing about the Holidays.

Holiday greetings. I went to the grocery store last night and I told the clerk "Happy New Year!". They didn't respond but I have to say I like just having a joyful phrase to give people. I'm trying to think of something I could say that is less cliche than "How are you?" or "Have a nice day!" but that still conveys the good will, joy and positivity found in holiday greetings. I have to say that though Christmas is my December holiday, I would be thrilled to be told Happy Kwanzaa or Happy Chanukah!

Decorations. They're just so cheery and gaudy and fun! Have a dreary room in your house? Cover it in gold tinsel and ribbons and a little evergreen and you'll be smiling in no time. Too bad I can't have a cut tree in my living room year round!

Sentimentality. I'm not talking about contrived sentiment like "Christmas Shoes" (I turn the station when it comes on...why write a song with the express intent to make someone cry??). I'm talking about my daughter asking to paint a plate for a Christmas gift for her dad. Or taking our Christmas ornaments from past years. Or putting out the nativity scene my mom gave me that I used to put out as a child. Or my heart warming as my children discover the toys Santa left and remembering how I felt about Christmas as a child.

Family. I will see my big extended family on New Year's Day and then they'll all go back into hiding at their respective homes. We saw my sis-in-law and her crew on Christmas Day and probably won't see them again till her baby is born.

Goodies. There is so much good food and sweets around this time of year!!

The Salvation Army bucket. I honestly wish they had one all year round. I love the greeter telling me "Merry Christmas (see the first thing I miss again)" and giving my kids change to put in it. I actually looked for one when I left the store last night because I wanted to put some change in it. Why do we spontaneously give spare change to people in need for a month and a half and then go back to having to either seek out charities or be annoyed by them? Who is sincerely annoyed by the Salvation Army bucket? I'm not! I say let's have one year round!

There's probably lots more but that's enough for this year. I need to go back to eating Christmas cookies before the Holidays are over. I cut myself off from being a Holiday glutton on Jan 2-add that to my list!

If I Could Paint...

Today if I could paint, I'd paint lovely calming blues and greens in swirling curls and rounds. I'd paint ice blue hard lines of coldness and numbness. I'd paint warm reds and oranges and yellows of passion in leaps of color. I'd paint blacks and browns and grays or hurt and confusion and clouding of judgment and truth. It might not be a pretty picture today. Emotions aren't always pretty.

The Shaky Dance

When my daughter was about 3, she was a big fan of The Wiggles. If you're unfamiliar with the 5 and under set entertainment, you can check them out here. I'll sum up that they're a group of four Australian young men who sing songs aimed at preschoolers, complete with a narcoleptic (not kidding). One day, she came to our house singing The Shaky Dance song. It's a song (really called Shaky Shaky apparently) The Wiggles sing sometimes basically as a means of getting energy out for the little ones. Today I have all sorts of ways I want (and don't want) to do The Shaky Dance.

I would really like to stop shaking from the asthma medication I have to take since I have an upper respiratory infection. I'd also like to stop shaking from the infection itself.

I'm ready to shake off the feelings of dissatisfaction off that have settles on me like a heavy winter cloak.

I'm ready to shake loose the shackles of expectations, opinions, woulds, and shoulds of the world and of well meaning loved ones.

I want to shake the sand off my feet and run instead of feeling like I've been standing still for far too long.

I need to shake both physically and mentally to rid myself of my feelings of inadequacy and ugliness.

This is NOT a post intended to whine. But I know there are others out there who need to shake something off. Whether it's a person or a feeling or some extra pounds or that job that is dragging you down. Shake it off today! If you need pointers on how, watch The Wiggles for some moves (plus, it will probably cheer you up)!