A Toast – To Friends

I find it heartening reading all these blogs over the Christmas holiday.

Starting with Thanksgiving and everyone I subscribe to blogging about their ideas, adventures (Black Friday, Christmas shopping), getting the tree (love the “we used to get a Home Depot tree”-how many blogs did I read with that sentiment and then finding the ultimate one even if it spins!?), shopping incidents, sending cards (I thank those who shared their addy with me!), decorating the tree, making and baking cookies, how the kids were or were not driving them crazy, and all the way up to the day after Christmas is really very cool.

I’ve found it so interesting to see how everyone manages and handles the holiday. And I’m thankful to say that everyone has a sense of humor about it. Even the little mishaps of children losing their cookies (no, not misplacing them…) or getting outraged that there are no more toys to open under the tree (they’ll get it some day). NO ONE got their tighty whities in a bind or slugged any sidewalk Santas or crammed any bells down Salvation Army volunteers throats. And a big plus for all of you – no one got arrested. HIGH FIVE GUYS!!!

Everyone’s traditions were shared with total strangers here. Thoughts, emotions, insights were on public display. And it shows how proud you all are of your families! I felt so fortunate to have read about them. Sharing cards and email (((HUGS))). It really has been quite a special Christmas. We all learned a little bit about each other emotionally here. I find that touching. And I thank all of your for allowing myself and everyone a glimpse into your family and home for the holidays.

Here’s to the New Year!

National Blog Posting Month and Then Some

Did you know you can celebrate something each day in November? No, really, each day has been designated a day of something!

Ok, this entire month has been chosen for those who love to play drums (someone notify Jeremy Clarkson please of this, thanks!). Yes, boys and girls, it’s International Drum Month! And while you’re beating your little heart out each day this month (HAR HAR PUN INTENDED!), you’ll be also recognizing that it’s Good Nutrition Month! As you pound out the tempo to your favorite Led Zepplin tune (I would HOPE it would a song like that!) you can wonder what you can do this month for Child Safety and Protection Month(maybe protect your kid from your drum kit!).

It’s also Latin American Month (that means Bethlehem and Allentown are going to be going WILD for the next 30 days and Walmart with be a madhouse!), National Adoption Month(all hail me), National Epilepsy Month, National Model Railroad Month (wish I had known this when the kids were little!), and for all you Reese’s eaters-National Peanut Butter Month (a nightmare for kids with peanut allergies!).

The 2nd week of the month has been taken as National Children’s Book Week, and don’t plan anything for the third week of the month….not only is Thanksgiving upon us, but American Education Week! DON’T MISS IT!

Now November 1st is All Saints Day. We all know that! It’s on every single Anglo Saxon calendar ever printed. But I guess over the years it got boring, went to the wayside so someone decided that since it’s a day no one cares about, they’ll designate November 1st as National Author’s Day! And why not? EVERYONE needs to recognize their favorite author! Like DUH!

November 2 – National Deviled Egg Day! OH BOY! I’m going to make two dozen of these gassy little appetizers!
November 3 – Sandwich Day. We can thank the 4th Earl of Sandwich for his ingenuity!
November 4 – National Candy Day. Appropo for a couple days after Halloween. Another reason to finish off that trick or treat sack!
November 5 – Whoa, a doubleheader! Gary Fawkes Day, whoever he is…can’t find him on google. And for all you Duncan Donut fans…NATIONAL DONUT DAY! No office need not be without these today!
November 6 – Basketball Day. I thought everyday was Basketball Day, especially at NAACP
November 7 – Hug-A Bear Day. Be careful with this one….don’t want anyone to get the wrong impressions!
November 8 – Magazine Day! Just what we need, more subscriptions!
November 9 – Parade Day. Could you imagine if every state had towns that observed this! The grid lock that would ensue!
November 10 – Ok, there isn’t anything dedicated to this day! FIND SOMETHING SOMEONE! QUICK!
November 11 – This is a Canadian Holiday; Rememberance Day. It’s also our Veterans Day! Remember our men who have served us in past wars as well as present!
November 12 – Elizabeth Cady Stanton Day. She was a woman ahead of her time. Woman’s Lib was alive and kicking in the 1800′s.
November 13 – Not only is it my bestest friend’s birthday, but it’s Mom’s and Dad’s Day! YIPPEEEEEEE!
November 14 – This one I celebrate at least twice a year – National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day! Ok, people I expect each ice box to sparkle by sundown!
November 15 – Another doubleheader: America Recycles Day and Pack Your Mom A Lunch Day. Make sure when you pack the lunch everything is recyclable! It’s that easy to observe both!
November 16 – Button Day. Button, Button, who’s got a Button!?? Wear buttons! Lots of them!
November 17 – Tripleheader! Homemade Bread Day! YUM! Thank goodness for my bread machine! NO, I’m not doing that laborious chore by hand! YOU can knead the dough if you want!
National Young Reader’s Day. Because it’s National Children’s Book Week.
Take A Hike Day – Hmmm, you could take that literally or you could take that literally…like tell someone to go take a hike or tell someone to TAKE A HIKE!
November 18 – Low and behold..it’s William Tell Day! I’ve been waiting for this all year! Haven’t you?
November 19 – Not much going on this day…another open day for another insignificant reason. Maybe I’ll designate this day as National Pick Your Nose Day!
November 20 – Mexican Revolution Day! FREE TACOS AT TACO BELL!
November 21 – World Hello Day! Oh boy, here we go..I’m not going out! I can see it now…every single person you come across is going to say “Hello” to you and you’re going to feel obliged to say “Hello” back.
November 22 – Stop The Violence Day: Ok, this might actually have some significance. There seems to a couple days during the course of the year dedicated to this. Google it.
November 23 – A day I truly can indulge: National Cashew Day! How much do I love cashews?!
November 24 – This is Turkey Eve!
November 25 – And this is Turkey Day!
November 26 – National Cake Day! Like we’re all going to have room for cake after yesterday! Are you kidding me?
It’s also Black Friday! Are you insane enough to attempt the malls and shopping centers?
November 27 – Pins and Needles Day. This is the day after Black Friday because it will leave you on Pins and Needles waiting for the Visa bill!
November 28 – Oh, another freebie day! Take a break from all this happy day goodness.
November 29 – This could be King Tut Day! This is the day they opened his tomb……and found NOTHING!
November 30 – Stay At Home Because You’re Well Day. I’m shaking my head in disbelief with this one.

My whole reason for this mundane and ridiculous post is because two blogger friends have informed the naive and out of touch person of THIS blog that it’s National Blog Posting Month. Yes, there’s an actual organization for this just for blogging. That’s how big blogging is! And many activities are scheduled. For instance, you can partake in posting something to your blog everyday for the next 30 days. Or blogging 50,000 words in 30 days. And who’s going to count all those words? Hmm?

Who thinks of this stuff? And who’s in charge of designating these things to a month or a day? Hallmark? American Greetings? Maxine?? They could make a mint. Especially for National Donut Day! Make greeting cards that would have someone with umpteen donuts surrounding them on the front. Inside could say “GOT DONUTS?” Then under it “Happy Donut Day” and you could write the stupid saying you know everyone would write: “Don’t eat too many…Ha Ha Ha..”. Oh brother.

This is just November. I haven’t even attempted to look into what everyday brings in December. That could be something like December 1 – Buy Mom Christmas Gift Day, December 2 – Buy Dad Christmas Gift Day, December 3, Buy Girlfriend Christmas Gift Day, December 4 – Buy Chanuka Gift for Boss Day..you get the idea. If you think about it could be a good way to get that god forsaken Holiday shopping done. I’m going make December “BA HUMBUG MONTH” for us that are burned out from Christmas and Holiday Cheer. And January is going to be “BURN YOUR VISA BILL MONTH”. Well, that may not go over too well now ya think?

It’s NOT The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

You can’t evade it.

You can’t even hide from it.

It always finds you even if you think you’ve eluded it for a time.

Christmas shopping.

It’s fast approaching.

And I don’t even want to go into the “card giving” issue. Which is a whole other blog post in itself.

I Christmas shop all year long, not on purpose, but if I see an item for my kids or husband that they may like, I’ll buy it and find a place to hide it for, oh, 9 months or so. In a small house like mine, that can be a challenge, especially if it’s bigger than a breadbox. I figure doing it this way alleviates the pressure in November and December. But it doesn’t always work. I usually end up doing it 8 weeks before the big day.

But I’ve always thought what a preposterous ritual it all is (that and wakes). Especially in this day and age of losing homes, foreclosures, unemployment, cut backs and just not enough money. What the hell are we all thinking? I mean it’s just absurd to go out and buy such exuberant amounts of items all at once. No wonder everyone is going bankrupt! Happy Fucking Holidays my ass!

It’s one thing to purchase birthday gifts. That’s two, three, maybe four items. But Christmas is just a whole bizarre shopping frenzy!

Let’s say you decided “NO! I’m not doing it this year. I’ll send cards or make cookies for everyone”. Grandma Martha, who did go out and buy copious amounts of items for everyone on HER list, will be hurt that she didn’t get anything from you (she’s diabetic and can’t eat cookies, though she did enjoy your card). So you got ANOTHER pair of Christmas socks from her….”it’s the thought that counts” and well, there wasn’t much thought in it now was there? Better than the magazine subscription to “Psychology Today” (my mom used to get that! Talk about B-O-R-I-N-G!) that Uncle Martin and Aunt Clara got you the year before and you hope to hell they don’t renew it for you!

What about the gift you probably didn’t really like, how do you recipricate that? You hated the item you received, choked on your “thank you, I love it!” and now you’re stuck with a CD of the Boston Pops do Barry Manilow. You have this ingrained in your memory, the CD is still in it’s wrapper, and you can’t even give it away on Ebay. Hmmm, rewrapping it MIGHT work if they’re suffering from dementia. Or give them the socks Grandma Martha gave you LAST year and hope she doesn’t make you lift your pants leg to see if you’re wearing them. Payback can be a REAL bitch!

I don’t even remember what I bought last year for my family and I get away with it easily. I only have my two boys and my husband and I don’t even have to buy him anything. I told him not to get me anything because he just stresses over what to get me. He’ll go to Walmart with a shopping cart and go up and down the isles. For three years in a row I got magenta colored gloves. I still have a set in my closet, still in the package. I’m set for life with gloves especially magenta colored ones. Measuring cups, knick knacks, decorative bottles, I don’t know what he’s thinking. Jewelry my man, music CD’s, stuff for my car…am I THAT hard to shop for? So I just told him to save his soul and don’t bother. Last year he bought as a “family gift” this mechanical dog that you strap to your leg and when you turn it on, it looks like it’s humping you all the while making these “AHHH, OOOOOH, AAAHHH” until it climaxes. It was funny the first umpteen times we did it on Christmas day. It’s sitting in my closet somewhere now. Great. I’m thinking “garagesale”…….

Every year, though, we march out into the cold cruel world of retail, wholesale, and just “on-sale” and beat our brains til it’s pulp for 4 or 5 months of VISA and MasterCard payments, stuff we may or may not use (usually the latter), and standing on line to return something you either bought LAST year or doesn’t fit. And then we turn around and do it ALL OVER AGAIN!!!

I don’t know anyone that enjoys Christmas shopping. What a bunch of masochists we are!