I read in the newspaper this morning how the holidays really bring out the “grouch” in a lot of people.
They’re in a hurry, too much to do, and too little time to do it. Believe me, I understand. Just ask my kids.
But I have to stop and remind myself that if I’m a grump, then all my hurrying around is for nothing, because NOBODY is having a good time. And it’s not that hard to step back and find humor in almost everything we see and hear.
Several years ago, a group of friends were gathered around the piano, singing Christmas carols. Somebody got the words to one song twisted around, and it came out “Reindeer roasting on an open fire … Chestnuts dripping from my nose”. Every time I hear that song now, I laugh out loud.
I was in the mall last week with my daughter. We were in Victoria’s Secrets, ogling all the pretty stuff when we saw some beautiful pajamas from across the room. We both stopped in our tracks and said “Ooooohhhh!” at the same time. As we walked away, I noticed a man had been watching us and immediately went up and bought the pj’s. I guess he didn’t have a clue what to get his honey and we had given him the answer he had been hoping for. I smile every time I think about his look of relief.
Just watching men at malls in general makes me laugh. It is pure torture for most of them.
One of them was exiting a store and thought his wife was right behind him. When he realized she was gone, he turned around and saw her … she had found a new tableful of bargains she just HAD to rummage through. I told him he might as well relax, because it looked like she was going to be awhile. He just sighed heavily.
Most of them sit on the benches and wait. Some read. Some sleep.
Watching a man wrap a present is humorous. It is obvious why men will pay a lot of money for gift-wrapping.
Watching panicked parents line up at Toys R Us is funny, but only because I’m not there anymore. I’ve stood in line for Cabbage Patch Kids, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Nintendos, and Beanie Babies. It wasn’t funny back then. So, parents of young children, have heart. Someday, you too will be able to laugh at it.
A lot of gifts we receive are funny. Some relatives are funny. Even family traditions can be funny.
Years ago, my mother was cleaning out her attic and found an old (cheap) harp that we had bought in Mexico a long time ago. It was literally falling apart, but she couldn’t bear to throw it away.
So she wrapped it up and gave it to me for Christmas.
The next year, I wrapped it up and gave it back to her.
And so a tradition was begun. The harp has been given in circles to various family members through the years, and was even salvaged from eminent death at one point. My mom had given it to my sister for her birthday, and Sis put it out with the trash. My mother just happened to drive by, saw it, rescued it, and gave it to her again at Christmas.
We lose track of who has it, but I’m sure we’ll find out tomorrow. I hope my name’s not on it this year. Even if it is, we’ll all have a good laugh about it.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
