Very little to say this year.
I joined this paper with a pandemic in full rage, We’ve largely returned to normal, despite COVID-19 being still very much around, as my own recent bout with the illness showed. That I still wear a mask out in public makes me somewhat of an oddity nowadays, but that’s fine. I was always the odd one, and I embraced it.
Christmas has become less and less of a joy to me over the years, sadly. I love that so many people get into the spirit, that the parades in Cobden, Beachburg, and Westmeath are all happy occasions and bring joy to the children. They’re the ones the holiday is for; the adults who organize the parade and shovel inches upon inches of inconvenience powder have to think very hard on the spirit to keep from getting bitter.
As a proud uncle, I feel little burden in keeping a happy attitude around my niece and nephew. They have the same love of the holiday as I did, when all I knew what that I got to stay home and hang around family and play video games. I want them to have that same time, regardless if it means gifts or just a day of eating food and lounging about.
For me, it’s just two months of prep so we can have one day of fun, then two weeks of cleanup. But that isn’t the kid’s problem, and I’m certainly not going to expose them to cynical viewpoints when they should be chasing trains around and knocking over Christmas trees.
But it’s ok to feel that way. Not liking the stress of Christmas, the weather and the shopping expectation and financial burdens, is a reality, and you’re not wrong to feel it. Just because the kids should be able to enjoy it doesn’t mean you have something wrong with you for being a bit run down by it all.
For those who needed to hear it.
