--- Ahhhh. Christmas Eve Day.

--- Ahhhh. Christmas Eve Day.

Now, if that isn't the most ridiculous piece of language I've ever heard, I don't know what is.

Think about it for a minute and then you'll have probably landed with a ceremonious thump
onto the page where I reside.
--- The tree is up. The baking is done. The presents are wrapped. The
shrimp for tonight's dinner is defrosting in the sink. The house is
clean enough that any unexpected well wishers who drop by won't be
instantly repelled by all of the muck and mire we don't mind living in.
It's all done. Now, we just have to get through the lag time before the
celebration of the Birth of Christ begins. A few hours. Not too long in
the scheme of things. It's generally a good time to take a nap, but I
have to run up to the grocery store and pick up some heavy whipping
cream for the alfredo sauce the husband plans on dousing the shrimp in.
MMMMMMMM. I'll fight some lines, but it won't be that bad. The
nuttiness should have receded by the time I get up there. The husband
had a different experience, however. He ran the last few errands that
needed finishing, and when he practically ran into the apartment, as if
he were fleeing an attacker, and breathed a large sigh of relief, it
was apparent that everyone in Cake Eater Land had gone as beserk as a
pack of rabid Vikings. After collecting himself, he told me that
everyone in the grocery store had gone insane. The checkout lines
snaked into the aisles. The entire population of our fair fiefdom, it
seemed, needed more egg nog before the store closed at four. I'm
doubtful that people actually needed more egg nog, but were instead
making busy work for themselves. It happens every year, and this year
is no different. It seems everyone is positively determined to make
this the best Christmas...EVER!
As if running to the store for some last minute nog, or killing
yourself to buy whatever Elmo is the must have, or maxing your credit
cards to buy stuff for people you don't even like is going to ensure
that this Christmas will, indeed, be the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER! I've been
disabused of this notion because I worked retail. You work one
Christmas in a mall and you'll be disabused, too. Now, I don't know
exactly why people do this to themselves. They set such high standards
for this holiday and they kill themselves trying to live up to them.
And it sucks the joy out of the season because of it. Nothing says you love someone like buying them copious amounts of shit they don't need.
This is ultimately what it comes down to. Buying people stuff to show
them that you love them. Why do we do this to ourselves? Ah, well.
That's a question that will have to be answered another day. I have to
run to the store or I won't have alfredo shrimp for supper tonight.
Heheheheh.
--- I don't know when I'll return again. I'll blog if the mood strikes.
If it doesn't, well, I'll see you next week. Here's one very fantastic
goody to tide you over. Tim Blair has
compiled his list of quotes for the the year and it's a great read. ---
Have a very Merry Christmas. Make the time tonight, between glasses of
wine and obnoxious relatives, to go outside. Enjoy the peace and quiet,
albeit temporary. Enjoy the cold for a few minutes. Breathe deeply and,
for a brief moment, enjoy the icicles forming in your lungs. Shiver
copiously. And then look up at the night sky, and if Rudolph's honker
isn't too distracting, gaze at the stars. Then, think of a young couple
who on this night, roughly two thousand years ago, gave everything over
to their faith and a God who demanded difficult things of them to
fulfill His will---and that they submitted without hesitation. Think of
the gift they gave us this night and know that they gazed at the same
stars you're looking at. And know that the world is a wondrous place.