It's not that I don't like the Christmas season -- I do enjoy it. I like the candy, and I like the concerts (especially the Lyric's sing-along Messiah), and I really like the Christkindlmarkt in Daley Plaza. I just wish it didn't begin quite so early. Oh, well. As long as I can find a box of Chanukah candles in the next few days, all will be well. CVS doesn't have them, but Walgreens might.
Apropos of nothing at all, Lexi the begonia looks like she's starting to bloom again. All her flowers frizzled off in the heat wave this summer, and then I trimmed her back severely for the move. But she's been growing and thriving on my living-room windowsill. I recently repotted her, and I think she's going to have lovely peach-colored flowers again soon. Yay Lexi!
- Current Music:Portuguese Hymn
Comments
As Only Husband and I were driving someplace or another recently and many halls were starting to sports signs of decking, I kept muttering: "I hate Christmas. I hate Christmas." Which I do. It wears me completely out and always has. He mentioned I was slightly negative. Which I am. So now, I pass by the jolly lights, trees and tinsel and mutter in the same tone as my first mantra: "I love Christmas. I love Christmas." So far, it's not working.
They did that here in the Southern Realm too, without the Queen's consent, I might add. The mobs were unbelievable--I'm told, no personal experience. I did have to make a quick Walmart run and at mid-afternoon, it was pretty quiet. I went to Office Depot the same afternoon--day after Thanksgiving--and it was sort of dull too. Maybe everyone was home taking a nap.
The whole thing is past ridiculous. I don't think we have Buy-Nothing-Day around here, but I'd support it. In fact, I do just that as often as I can.
I also hate the early beginning of the season...and that commercial madness. Do not worry, it has been so cleverly marketed that now everyone wants to be like you, and flock to the shops in crazed mobs and shoot someone dead for a nintendo or something...
The frenzy starts a bit later around here, but it lasts until Jan 6th. I have already finished my Xmas shopping this year, though.(A first in many years)
So I can begin worrying about the moving.
My friend and I went to see a movie on the evening after Thanksgiving. I don't see her very often, nor do I go to the movies that often, which makes it a special treat on both accounts. We saw For Your Consideration, which was charming but nothing special, and then we went to a coffee shop for some tea and chitchat.
Oh, that's great! I admit I'm a bit sentimental when it comes to my plants. A recovering one can make me feel really happy.:-)
Also, ee, flowers!
The whole thing has seemd particularly bad/commercial this year and I really don't like it.
Last year, there was much ado about The War On Christmas. I tell you, the more I see of this Christmas-in-November thing, the more I support making war on Christmas. Or at least the commercial aspects of it.
Nope, I'm old school, and it starts day-after-Thanksgiving. Starting too early ruins it.
(Though, out of necessity, Christmas candy is usually in full-swing my mid-October.)
(Though, out of necessity, Christmas candy is usually in full-swing my mid-October.)
Yeah, but you're making the candy. That's different.
I love the roasted almond booth down there.
Any weekday that I don't manage to sneak out for lunch is a Buy Nothing Day for me.
Although, I have to say, I like the menorah. Specifically, I like imagining all these vendors coming over from Germany, all excited to be helping to spread this lovely Christmas tradition in Chicago, and then seeing a giant menorah smack in front of their booth selling Christmas tree ornaments. The cognitive dissonance definitely adds a little je ne sais quois to the atmosphere.
I like the almonds and the Glühwein. I especially like that you can get jars of the Glühwein spices so you can make it at home.
My favorite musical, too. I saw the revival with Brent Spiner on Broadway, and that was fantastic! The man can really sing, something that Star Trek never really took advantage of, the way they did with Nichelle Nichols.
I've looked at the score, and Abigail is just scraping the top of my range, but I think I could swing the part.
It's enough to make anyone declare, 'Bah, humbug.'
Bleh. Makes me want to thwap them over the head with my folklore books.
Fortunately, being a music person, I was able to subvert the dictum a little bit. Thank God for Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium, Handel's Messiah, Corelli's Christmas Concerto, and other great music. Idiot Boss would have been happy with the same CD of a children's choir singing "Frosty The Snowman" off-key all month. But the customers definitely preferred my way.