Well, the end of the year is quickly approaching and it’s that time when we celebrate, in our minds, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Three distinct holidays, each with their own set of rules, traditions and offerings. Holidays that stick out in our childhood memories as chilling and spine tingling, food and family, and presents, presents, presents!
Halloween, was the time you were allowed to be out after dark, dress as goofy as you knew how and beg for candy from all the neighbors. Once the block was completed, you returned home with your treasures and dumped them on the floor and started categorizing. There was the WOW pile, Snickers, chocolate and such, the YEP PRETTY GOOD pile, candy corn and the orange and black caramels that you got in a bag of 50,000 for $1.99, and the I CANNOT BELIEVE SOMEONE WOULD GIVE OUT THIS TO KIDS which was apples, boxes of raisins and waxy bubblegum. Parents sat back and said nothing about how much candy the kids ate as long as they brushed before bed.
Thanksgiving was the prelude to Christmas, but separate in its own right. No Thanksgiving Eve parties, no 12 days of Thanksgiving, just the knowledge of going to Granny’s and eating and eating and eating, plus you were out of school for a few days. As kids, you knew you were supposed to be thankful for something, maybe it was the food you were to be thankful for or maybe the few days out of school you were supposed to be thankful for, but as for me, I was most thankful that once Thanksgiving was over, I knew it was time for CHRISTMAS!
Christmas was the ultimate, the brass ring, the Academy Awards of holidays! Christmas, even Dads smiled, dogs did not bite, teachers gave no homework, all was right with the world! People exchanged pleasantries, gave money to Santa’s ringing bells on the street corners, sang songs of cheer. Houses smelled of pine, while Dad cursed under his breath as he tried to get the lights to work for the tree, searching for that one in a million bulb that was blown that caused the entire string to not work. Unpacking all the boxed up decorations that had been packed away with care the previous year so no breakage would happen as the mice played hide and seek in the boxes that were stored in the attic with the pull down stairs in the hallway. Carefully unwrapping the newspaper and tissue paper surrounding the glass figurines that had been obtained by being a Stanley hostess or making smart purchases once Christmas was over for use next year. Our year to year decorations consisted of four carolers that spelled NOEL, Elf salt and pepper shakers, a Mr. and Mrs. Santa that held little candies, plastic stockings that we NEVER used (plastic, go figure) and the two prized cloth stockings that were embellished with treasures! The red stocking with white fur trim that had pipe cleaner candy canes, sparkles and beads and the one my sister always said was hers, the white “angel” stocking that had gold embellishments, gold angels with halos. And of course the ever popular silver tree with the color-wheel since we were all allergic to real trees and then the green tree that could also be used as a toilet brush in a pinch. Have you ever notice the way that toilet brushes and fake tree limbs were made alike? Each year, once all the decorations were up, we would turn off the lights and sit in the glow of the tree…until my Dad would growl then the television was turned back on.
Three months, three holidays, three chances to make memories…until the wonderful world of retail stepped in. Now we have one holiday that last three months – HalloThanksMas. Some may call it ThanksWeenyMas, while others may call it ChristGivingWeen, but I just call it stupid. Before long we will have Valentines Day, Easter and the Fourth of July combined. It seems that retail has invaded our lives about as much as the government. Maybe separation of church, state and holidays could be voted in. Maybe not…could cause the government to shut down. But just as long as March 3rd does not get messed up, I will be good. A very important person has a birthday then, no names…. 🙂
And that’s the way I see it…
A View From Bogaville 