I am from the last century. Maybe it’s not fair, but what it is now doesn’t seem to measure up to what it was, or what it is supposed to be.
A pretty close family connection for us was in place maybe fifteen years ago. Add in a couple divorces. Loved ones who have passed away. Kids who aren’t kids anymore. The family togetherness tends to break down, even outside of the traditional November/December weeks.
Speaking of last century, I like a good parade. Sometimes we tune in to see if the one in NYC is still the same. We watch for a few minutes and we’re not seeing much in the way of old cars, the US Marine Corps marching band, groups on horseback, and some of the best high school marching bands in the nation. Nope. It’s a made for TV lip sync fest. Some TV celebrity signed a contract and it says they must be here and be super enthusiastic again this year.
We do not have regular TV. The holiday ad blitz is weaker this way. We watch TV through the web and we still see some ads. A luxury automobile in the driveway with a giant bow on top. It’s a great time to surprise her with diamonds.
Don’t be the poor family that fails to purchase the right retail products this holiday season:
Not in the habit of doing any Christmas shopping. OK with the idea that people take joy in it.
Not connected with a church and have nothing against it. Do not care how people choose to express their greetings in public. Seems like people who are solid in their faith would be OK with whatever others do or don’t do Re: casual greetings. Ditto with the styling of disposable fast food packaging.
I look at 365 days a year as the time to do more or less in terms of what we think is meaningful in life. Things that are meaningful are on our mind all the time. They are not saved up for a special day on the calendar.
Went to the web to see what others are saying:
Does anyone else who’s family isn’t very close ever feel …awkward about it?
Is there something wrong with people who don’t care about holidays (birthdays included)?
How many of you couldn’t care less about the Holidays? And what made you feel that way?
No big plans here this month. Not feeling connected to what is almost a cultural peer pressure that sets up many people to try to do the same thing at the same time.
Never here to take away from others what is meaningful to them, just an urge to duck out all year long and be somewhere near the slow lane.
Okinawa 1980 – The Christmas Tree Story
Not just the holidays.
American culture seems less interesting and meaningful as time goes on. I saved all the voting materials that came in the mail this year, going all the way back to the Aug primary. I studied and made notes on the voter guides. Today, it all went into recycling. Do I feel better or different for voting? No.
Photo-
A winter trip to Arizona some years back.