Non-Denominational Gift Getting Season
Years ago, a friend of mine wished me a "happy non-denominational gift getting season". I've always liked that phrase; thanks, Stephan.
It always seems to me that the in the rush to prove just how into the spirit of the season one can get, that the worst comes out in many people. You can see it in how drivers behave in the hordes of traffic going to and from the retail stores, and in the short tempers that are frequently in evidence in those selfsame stores, in the hypocritical sniping that takes place within, between, and among various religious branches and secular organizations. All this bullshit about "holiday trees" and the "war on Christmas" is, well, bullshit. On both sides of the issue. Let it go, people! We've got far bigger problems to solve in the world.
Recently, briwei wrote a post that puts it all in perspective. So, at the moment, amusement is winning.
Fortunately, this time of year also brings out the best in some people — there's a lot of "happy holidays", and "merry christmas" in the air. That's a good thing. But at the risk of sounding ungrateful: I'm a big fan of the whole "peace on earth, good will towards all" thing, but why can't it be a year-round deal? There's plenty to go around, let's not save it all up for the bottom half of December!
Well, hope springs eternal. My end-of-year rituals await: filing the paperwork and getting ready for the Macworld Expo. In the meantime: congratulations on making it through this year, here's hoping the next is a great one!