Seasons of Love
An ever expanding holiday season means more time
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, indeed! Perhaps
that’s why we keep extending it. It used to be the traditional
holiday season of buying toys and giving gifts didn’t start
until the Friday following Thanksgiving. Nowadays the stores
are filled with holiday cheer well before David S. Pumpkins even
has a chance to “scare the hell out of you” with his duo of break
dancing skeletons.
I, for one, don’t mind. I love the holidays.
All of them. So what if we mix a little yule
log cheer with a sexy nurse costume. I’m all
about intersectionality. Sometimes we get so
wrapped up in the process we forget to see the
beauty in what we are doing. Life is all about
perspective, especially during the holidays.
When I was a kid, two things mattered:
Halloween and Christmas. Basically, I liked to
get stuff. Halloween was all about the candy. I
can’t tell you what costumes I wore as a child
because it didn’t matter. Candy mattered and
I got lots of it! Christmas of course was about
getting presents. The content of the packages
wasn’t important; it was more a quantity over
quality philosophy of gift getting. My parents
did a great job at gifts. With limited means
and five kids, they always managed to make
us feel special, even if the gift was a handme
down bike that made its third annual
appearance next to the tree.
As I got older the holidays were still about
feeling special, but more in the sense of
making others feel loved than any selfish
intent. Getting candy became more about
hanging out with friends, Thanksgiving
became more meaningful as a time to spend
with family and Christmas became about
sparking and celebrating joy.
If the purpose of annual celebrations is
to spread happiness and good will, why not
expand it past one month? Except two things,
though: Can we get rid of “All I Want For
Christmas Is You” and “Last Christmas?”
I don’t mind seeing Christmas trees and
inflatable Menorahs in the halls of Target
when I go to shop for Halloween accessories.
It brings a smile to my face. It’s a signal to
me that the time to slow down and appreciate
those around you is near. So dress ss up as an
elf for Halloween, stuff your turkey key with
with
fruitcake and eat candy corn for
eight crazy
nights before taking the polar plunge as a
vampire on New Year’s Day. Just do it with
kindness. Share happiness. Choose love.
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Our 2019 Holiday Guide if full of treats this
year. We bring you a special look
at a Golden Gals’ Christmas
musical performed locally in
Central Florida, we have an
exclusive sit down with Ole
St. Nick himself and give you
some decorating tips, both
inside and outside, for your
home. We still bring you some
of our very own traditions with
gift ideas from the Watermark
staff, recipes that will bring you
tidings of joy and a schedule of
events for every family.
Happy holidays from our family
to yours!
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R I C K C L A G G E T T
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