Feliz navidad

I usually try to hold off on Christmas stuff until after Thanksgiving. Mostly out of a weird unfounded worry that I'll burn out on Christmas too soon.* Or get in the Christmas mindset too early and still have a huge chunk of the year left. NO evidence that either of these will actually happen, but there it is.

This year, though, I am starting early. Two weeks ago, I was just ready for the Christmas music. So I jumped in, which I can get away with because I live alone. And today, I put up the tree which yes, is early, but I have a VERY good reason. See, I'm out of town for Thanksgiving, and I get back on Sunday, and then I leave super early on the Wednesday for a work trip to Peru, I get back from that on the 10th, and then I go out of town for Christmas on the 17th. And won't be back until January. So, if I don't start now, I won't get to do it at all and I LOVE the Christmas decorations! 

And yes, of course they will probably stay up until February, but you don't get the same feel from them after Christmas (trust me, I know). They are still awesome, and I still love them, but the Christmas vibe is past. It's the lead up to Christmas where they are the best. 

That is why I'm doing Christmas early this year. Because I feel like it, and I deserve it, and I need it, and the season is going to be too short, and I need just a minute to breathe, and maybe with the mood of Christmas, I'll get my minute. And it's beautiful. 

*And I also want to add, I support people who start sooner, because that's your call to make and sometimes, you just need some great Christmas music. Also, there's just not enough time for everything if you wait too long! But I'm not a fan of Christmas stuff going up the day after Labor day in stores and black Friday happening in October. It's too much.

Holiday spirit?

It's that time of year when businesses try to get you to buy stuff for Christmas. And I've noticed a trend in the commercials. Basically, it's, "We're such a great people-oriented business. If you give us a lot of money, we'll give a small portion of it to help people in need for the holidays."

Call me a grump, or a socialist, or whatever. It just seems like a really great company would just give money to help others whether you spent money with them or not. And if I really want to help people, I'll just give my money directly, rather than going through you, Mr. Corporate Middle Man.

I know this is nothing new, but for some reason, this year it's bugging me. (Possibly because with streaming, I'm getting the ads on repeat...and repeat...and repeat). I'm not planning on being a major spender this Christmas (or any, really), though, so I will just do my best to ignore the nonsense. 

New Year's celebrations

I know, it's not even Thanksgiving. But, this week at work, we were talking about how we celebrate the holidays. My Chilean coworker mentioned that in Chile, you celebrate the new year the way you want it to be during the year. To which I mentioned I always spend it sleeping, and my boss said, "Is that why I'm always tired? I welcome the new year by sleeping, so then I am sleepy the whole year?"

Which makes me think we need some kind of guide for ringing in the new year Chilean style. For example, does sleeping at midnight mean you will be sleepy all year? Or well rested? If you party alone, does it mean you'll be lonely? Or (for the introverts among us) content in your own company (which can be a good thing). If you spend the evening playing games with family, what does that mean? Or watching the news? 

So basically, we need the New Year's celebration equivalent of dream interpretation: what does xyz thing mean. And someone needs to write it soon, because I need to get my plans right!