According to Jeph Jaques, next week is an incredibly slow week for Internet traffic. And since I’m operating under the somewhat informed assumption that the “week” will kick off tomorrow, on Christmas Eve, I wanted to share these stories with you now.
1. My religion doesn’t celebrate Christmas. We have a different holiday, but it’s not really necessary to go into that. Still, when I was younger, my parents acquiesced and had a tiny (fits-on-a-side-table tiny) Christmas tree around for me. I went to the mall to see Santa. And when I was 7, I told my dad that I heard (SPOILER ALERT!) Santa Claus wasn’t real. He said to me one of the two greatest things I’ve ever heard In The History Of Parenting:
“If Santa Claus was real, he wouldn’t care what religion you are. He’d only care if you’re a good person.”
2. Instead of making a New Year’s Resolution, I take a Christmas (or Winter Holiday) card and write it to myself to open the next year, with notes on what I hope to have accomplished by that time. It’s a good way to judge progress, personal growth, and achievement of goals. Last year, I asked myself to get a job (I did), exercise more (I did…for some of the year), learn some new technology stuff (I did), and do a few other things, which are in various stages of completion. I also gave myself $5. Past me rocks!
3. As I mentioned before, I’m not of a religion that celebrates Christmas. During college as an RA, I was tasked with helping decorate the tree in the lobby. One of the building’s residents, who I had previously talked to (and mentioned my religious affiliation to) asked me about the tree. ”Do you need a hand with that?” she asked. ”It looks like you’ve never done this before.”
“I haven’t,” I replied. ”My family never celebrated Christmas when I was growing up. No tree, no lights, no presents…this is the first time that I’ve had to do this.”
“Oh my! That’s terrible!” she said.
I was able to string her along for 15 minutes before reminding her the reason I’d never decorated a Christmas tree.
The moral that follows all these stories is pretty much the same: just because you don’t celebrate something doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. Just relax. Enjoy the spirit of the holiday, and have a little fun while you’re at it.
Happy holidays everyone!
