Twas the night before … silly season

Yes, I know. There is that faction of folks who we feel the need to despise. Because we have to endure their Joy; their Festiveness; their Flourishing dives into present choosing, buying, wrapping and giving; their spirited singing and embracing of Christmas carols; their over-the-freaking-top LOVE of the holiday! Grrrrr.

OK, I am one of them.  I love Christmas. Love it.

But here’s the thing … It’s not about you! In the big scheme of things, the whole “Christ”-mas thing. It’s about the whole accumulation of humans on the planet. Maybe even an ass or two. It’s about love and peace and joy and giving and sharing and family and friends and strangers and bringing those “humbuggers” into the light -- with or without the help of spirits of Christmas past-present-future.

I immerse in the music, the movies, the TV specials of Christmas. I love Rudoloph’s “She thinks I’m CUTE! She thinks I’m CUTE!” leap into flying. I love the Shrek Christmas Special with Donkey’s and Puss’s renditions of “The Night Before Christmas.” I am a big fan of animated movies of all kinds: Disney, Pixar, etc. And I particularly love animated Christmas movies. I adore that “Arthur Christmas” has invented an ongoing Santa family, slightly dysfunctional, because -- come on, what family doesn’t have some dysfunction. I marvel at the sheer gorgeous art of “The Polar Express.” I love the hilarity of “Elf” (OK, not animated, but serious fun). Love it all. Bring it!

I love the I Heart Christmas Radio app on my smartphone and play Christmas songs all the time over Alexa in my car. I sing along with traditional carols and love them like the familiar old friends they are. I play Christmas music at an impressive volume when it is just me in the house. I know Christmas music non-stop can irritate some non-eclectic, audio-limited souls, so I tone it down when other people are in the house.

I am wild about Christmas sales. All into the Black Friday thing and scarfing up good deals for family and friends and myself. OK, the press of human flesh to get to some of the deals can be icky (talking body odors and such), because it is and will be elbow-to-elbow and shopping carts-gone-Jenga to make it through the Walmart aisle to the mega deal you are wanting most, along with the rest of the 3,000 shoppers vying for position.But still a great feeling to have gotten those amazing deals, freeing up some of your Christmas budget for extra stocking stuffers or whatever. Then there is Cyber-Monday and scouring the web all Cyber-Week to make sure I don’t miss out on some awesomely stupendous deal somewhere for a something that is purrfect for a someone I love.

I love feeling joyous, living my Happy Place, letting it surround me and everyone I can catch in that net. I love dousing the house in decorations, inside and out. It’s not like my dad’s decorating, where it looked like Santa vomited garland, tinsel and plastic poinsettias everywhere. I try to be more tasteful and somewhat subdued, but still, I so enjoy putting up wreaths and the tree, lights and ornaments. My cats have a Meowy Kissmouse display around their cat door into the closet with their litter boxes, featuring a mini-Kissmouse tree in red and gold this year to match Mommy’s (mine), with mini-presents under the tree, a stocking covered with 50-plus mini-Kissmouse cards, their mini-paper mache snowman and snowcat, a mini-wreath over the cat door and a Santa hat for a rug. So festive. Just fun. 

I know we have all given thanks for Thanksgiving. And then, for so many of us humbugging adults, there is that collective groan for the trials of the coming month. But for me … big cheer! Woot woot! Fist-air-grab-pulled-into-body gesture. Serious grin. Here I come!  A big silly season welcome! Ho ho ho!