Solstice. Longest night. I was yawning by 1:30 p.m., two hours earlier than usual. Had to dose myself repeatedly with caffeine and chocolate. Then I read that carb cravings are common for those in northern winters. Carbohydrates and twinkling Christmas lights are our species' way of staving off the blues in this coldest, darkest time of year. I remember a Northern Exposure episode where Chris (dreamy, dreamy Chris) gathered up all the lamps and bulbs he could find for a massive, mid-winter light display in the center of town. It was glorious -- until the collective fuse blew.
Despite its brevity, today was warm! Relatively speaking, anyway. I think it got into the mid-30s. We were all sighing with relief. These past few weeks have been mercilessly cold.
I'm feeling less stressed this season than usual. I think it's partly because my holiday preparations are completely done (thank you, Flylady!), but also because I have not once been subjected to the wretched jingle-jangle of Starvation Army bell ringers. I can't think of anything less likely to make me feel charitable than that noise. It's an HSP's nightmare.
This time of year, I join the masses in wishing people I meet a "Merry Christmas," although privately, it's not Christ's birth I'm celebrating but some sort of Pagan-Atheist amalgamation of Yule, capitalism and diet debauchery. Merry merry.
As of 2 p.m. Friday, I'll be on vacation for a week. Ten days if you count weekends and holidays. Hallelujah!
4 Comments:
Have a great vacation! We have been having great weather too. It is in the mid 30's now and by Xmas we should be in the mid 40's! Very unseasonable for this neck of the woods. Merry Pagan-Atheist amalgamation of Yule, capitalism and diet debauchery!
Thanks, Nancy!
Happy holidays! Speaking of Northern Exposure, I always remember the show when Dr. Fleischman got people sun-replicating lamps that they could wear like glasses on their foreheads and some people kinda went nuts with 'em...
I too am happy to greet people with a smiling "Merry Christmas" (especially in still-very-conservative Helena where I'm visiting family) even though I'm a Buddhist/Atheist and pretty out of the capitalist mania which seems to be the real 'reason for the season' amongst lots of folks here.
"Merry Christmas" just translates into "I wish you the very best" for me, so I instantly smile when I hear it and am always happy to repeat it.
Justin, I'd be curious to read your letter to the IR. Did you see the Missoulian's rather cranky editorial? Like you, I don't mind Merry Christmas at all. In fact, I wonder who does? Judging by all this rampant editorializing against "The War on Christmas," there are a bunch of folks who want to banish the phrase altogether. I just haven't seen any of them ....
Happy New Year!
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