My holiday season 2007

So...I'm thinking. I've never been a big one for the holidays. I can remember loving Christmas and all that came with it when I was a kid, but then something switched. It's probably because instead of being exclusively on the receiving end, I pay for Christmas now. And for those of us that carry that burden, it is a heavy one that brings with it little joy.

Still, as I try to find my way through the holiday muck I begin to wonder. Silly questions pop up in my head. Questions which likely represent my body's - my mind's - way of finding a new way to cope with the holidays.

Questions like:

- Is it bad to want to bite the heads off a bowl of chocolate Santas and leave the partially wrapped, headless remains behind for someone else?

- Could you sell the idea that it might be better for all of us if we celebrated Christmas globally, but only on the years when there's a winter olympics?

- If we continue to inch the buying portion of the holiday season earlier into the year, is it possible that we may at some point start celebrating Christmas a year ahead of the current calendar year?

- If Santa can do all the stuff he has to do in one night...how happy can Mrs. Claus be with what goes on at home?

- I know it's fun, but is it "right" to go to the mall after you've finished your shopping to antagonize the other late shoppers by fighting over the scraps of what remains on the shelves?

- Has the guy who made the version of "Jingle Bells" with the barking dogs been punished yet?

There are more questions rattling around in the old mellon, but that seems to vent off enough pressure for now.

You all take care...and happy holidays...if you can manager it.