Another Special Guest Post ~~ Michelle Young

It’s no surprise to any of us that each year the holiday season starts earlier and earlier. I’m no Scrooge, but those decorations popping up in late September just add a few months of anxiety to that which already carries quite the mixed bag of emotions.

The other day Mr Dreamboat started singing a Christmas carol and our usual pithy banter devolved into me making, what I thought were “cute” threats to staring cruelly toward him and he tentatively evaluating my sanity. He stopped singing. That’s all I’m saying.

While I’m no Scrooge, I’m also not a holiday die-hard. They come, I’m happy for the traditions and time with family, and they leave and I am relieved to get on with my resolutions and regularly scheduled programming.

The following are a few things I think about the holiday season:

1.     While holiday food is a delight, the holiday poundage is just not okay with me.

2.     I am most certainly a born and raised Christian, but give me some secular traditions and call me a happy girl! Bring on Frosty, let us revel in Santa, may we all identify with Rudolph and his coming of age story. Bring it.

3.     I am opposed to that obligatory family fake-y, pretend-y stuff that makes us all anxious. Let’s just admit that we’re all dysfunctional and be nice. Just for a few minutes. My philosophy: I’m not okay, you’re not okay.

4.     Our holidays are absolutely weighted with all sorts of traditions, but once those traditions weigh us down more than they lift us up, it’s time to toss the little suckers and move on to greener pastures.

5.     I am in my mid-forties, but I still like a good present under the Christmas tree.

6.     Don’t tell my kids, but I fantasize about a holiday where I sleep in, eat soup and read in front of a fire. This is heresy and I can’t believe I wrote it.

7.     One time, my Mr Dreamboat and I had an unprecedented 3 day argument over orange rolls for Thanksgiving. He won. That’s all I have to say about that.

8.     While our Thanksgiving feast might look a little Rockwellian, we have this super weird dance tradition obligating all family as well as guests to boogie through the kitchen. It’s weird. And memorable.

9.     It really is better to give than to receive. Once we really understand this, the pressure is off to feel happy over the holidays.

10. Whatever your beliefs, whatever your traditions or the baggage from your childhood, I hope you take care of yourself, remember that you are a beloved and unique child of the universe and you deserve happiness.

Happy… Life!