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December 07, 2005
John, I'm only dancing...
Holidays are comings. Yee-hey! What did you say? What did she say? Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, New Year. Some families definitely have Chrismukkah. Wasp with Jew: Chrismukkah. Kwanza is consolidating a good sized market (both imaginary and real) growing on colored customers. Bro! Black Friday, the big post-Thanksgiving all-off-the-shelves frenzy in the US for years now spreading to become worldwide re-currence.
December's statistical patterns exhibit the highest number of suicides worldwide, every year. As family members get closer in meetings confrontations arise, memories of good and bad, deadlines for which to bleed, pressure the domestic deadlines and depression kicking in; above all a loud call to be happy and smiley and understanding. This is the time half kids want to gather and suck out their slice of alcohol and sex, the other half just wants to disappear.
It don't matter under which flag, Jesus or a new plasma TV, you get your booze and self-distraction, one way or the other, let's talk to the kids who hate festivities so much I can hear them striving at finding a comprehensive theory by which to justify their (angst). Easy is to hit the religious frame, easier is to hit the suffocating grip of capitalism unfolding at its peak.
How well are you willing to fit into the "routines" involved in the festivities while at the same time holding your good post at the very core of the same? How willing are you to get loose and make a bit of a mess of your parents and their expectations, relatives and season's rules? You're not good at making a mess? Sure you are!
Don't like Christmas trees? Get a nativity set up. Want to include naked figurines taking a bath by baby Jesus in the moonlight? He was well into pornography, your seat in heaven won't be vacated by couple nymphs glaring at kids innocent eyes. Have a plant you love? Strategically place those shiny glass balls disco and garlands on it. You'll love it. Remember that you parents/relatives have no clue border-lining the lousy routine of setting up a Christmas tree that looks like, well, a Christmas tree. It is mostly up to you. Show them (don't convince them) the boundaries are always broader. Surprise is juice. Nephews use to get video games for Christmas? Get them a bunch of roses. Spend more but shock them. Don't like the food you normally get on the table on these occasion or are you just a lazy? Order pizza. Good French cheese is the side dish. Fill in the voids with Absolut or Cawarra and dispense yogurt to the kids if you please so. Just divorced and down about the future? Set up auctions on eBay with his/her engagement's jewelry. He/she may just buy all of them back at twice the price. Capitalism, Wow. Oops, no jewelry? Well, then you have reasons to feel better and look elsewhere.
Don't get disconnected, mad or depressed. Get loose, stick to where you are. Can do way more damage (and bring way more love and fun) from where you are than from a deserted beach in some remote station with a 3 Celsius degree morning breeze and teeth going like a sawing machine. To act stupid, tactically, is the ultimate privilege and performance act and we deserve it, inheritance and valuable. When the ceiling is low, don't just dig a hole. This time, in the narrow between ceiling and the floor, spread your arms, be what you are, bring the virus in.
Back to the Baileys and Happy Whatever.
Posted by lck at December 7, 2005 10:34 PM
