I dated someone for 7 years and even though I had fun dating other guys for a couple more years, I thought it was about time to be in a relationship again. The timing was serendipitous because my hub, who twenty-five years ago was known as a “player”, was thinking the same thing too.
Well this national day is going to be tough to write about since I don’t know anything about thank you notes. Kidding!! Are we talking about the national day designated every year for Thank You Notes and is celebrated the day after Christmas? If so, that is right up my alley. Although I was tempted to write a post giving High-Fives to those who already write thank you notes or to guilt people into writing them if they don’t, this post is about neither. Instead, I’m writing about this national day for those who are so overly grateful that the task to write thank you notes is overwhelming. And I’m not talking about overwhelming because it’s another “To Do” item added to an already full list.
We interrupt this holiday season for a GIVEAWAY. Using “pause” in this moment in time seemed over-used so I am interrupting the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. But why now? We’re working hard and we still need to decorate the house, buy gifts, wrap gifts, send out holiday cards, make grocery lists, bake, etc. why would I do a give away now? Because someone may need a free gift - that’s why!
If your current budget for gifts is zero dollars and the holiday season is making you panic, please chant this mantra with me - “Thoughtfulness is still possible.” People ask me, “What do I get someone who already has it all?” It’s tough to “top off” or surprise them with something they can’t already buy themselves. However, the number one thing that a person cannot buy is sweat equity. I mean, sure, they can pay people to do the labor, but they can’t buy the labor of LOVE and THOUGHTFULNESS that goes into a gift that is especially meant for them. So with COVID wiping out the economy for most, pretend the people on your holiday gift list are Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Oprah and Kylie Jenner. They all can afford anything and everything. What would you give to them if you were to going to spend the holidays together?
For so many years, I have kept the tradition of listening to Christmas music non-stop starting the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas night. In recent years, I have added another “Day After Thanksgiving” tradition. I pull out all of our Nutcracker items to mark the beginning of the celebration (more like fear) of my daughter’s upcoming dance schedule. Prior to COVID, the weeks leading up to Christmas were ONLY about Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy at the State Theater. The mugs, sweatshirts, decorations and the coveted fuzzy sock/slippers which have Nutcrackers printed all over them come out of hibernation to help me get in the mood. I’m giving credit to the socks for keeping me grounded during the whirlwind of a season.
