I know at times I can be a bit of a minimalist. I used to think I was lazy or just a party pooper, but have discovered that it's simply making life easier. I'm speaking of my lack of holiday frivolity.
This year we did Trick-or-Treat, but did not carve pumpkins or do any decorating for Halloween. I don't recall whether or not I wore green for St. Patrick's Day, and I know we did not have ham for Easter dinner. For the Fourth of July we did not trek to the nearest stadium for a dazzling fireworks display. We sat on our roof and watched what we could see going on across the city. We did not make heart-shaped, pink-frosted cookies and deliver them to friends for Valentine's Day. We are planning to eat out for Thanksgiving. I rarely have a Christmas wreath on my door, and never have a gingerbread house to set on my dining room table. My children know there is no Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus, which makes my life less "magical", but so much easier.
I will say that I do "celebrate" a few odd holidays. We eat Mexican food on Cinco de Mayo. We have friends for dinner at Passover. I have my kids put carrots and hay in their shoes for Sinterklaas. But in general, I'm a non-celebratory kind of gal. The less I decorate, the less "stuff" I have to repack into my attic.
(Don't breathe a word of this to my mother-in-law. I was once scolded out of my Mother-of-the-Year award for not bringing my birthday cake home from work to do a re-celebration with my children.)
3 comments:
And this from the florist who decorated and wired all the ornaments and lights onto the tree for...who was that tree for? The one with the big purple ornaments on it?
Well, to each his own, I guess. I still love you.
Hi Michi, Grandpa and I are sitting here and reading your blog. Grandpa thinks you should become a writer. We are happy to hear that you celebrate Sinterklaas. I don't think any of the other siblings have celebrated it quit as often as you have. To the rest of you get with the program, and put out those wooden shoes on Dec 5th. Love MOM P.S. Grandpa says Hi, and love to all of you turkeys. Keep going the way you are and you will end up where not too many people end up. And we all know what we are talking about. Love Grandpa and Grandma V.S. God bless you.
You know Mom; I don't remember all too much December 5th hoopla when I was a kid. I remember the chocolate letters, but that was in our stockings. There wasn't much of the "magic" for us either. But then again, there was no need for a big explanation and tons of tooth-fairy related therapy later on in life either. In fact, I found out there was no Santa Clause the minute you asked if I wanted to help fill everyone else’s stockings. Why you didn’t enjoy lying to your kids as much as everyone else in this world is beyond me! My favorite holiday as a kid was garage sale Saturday, now that one took preparation!
But rest assured; at our house this year we will wait patiently for the former bishop of turkey, and the six-to-eight black men to either leave us goodies, pretend to kick us, or take us on a nice little trip to Spain!
-T
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