Ups and Downs of Holidays

I love holidays, always have.  I decorate my home for holidays, at least most of them.  I think of foods appropriate for the special day.  I grew up in a household where this was an addition to the normalcy of life.  My mother's philosophy was to have as many days to celebrate as possible.   She advised me not to get married or engaged on a normal holiday, to arrange those occasions so that there was one more day to celebrate out of the yearly 365.

Think about it, most holidays have foods that go along.  For those extra ones that are your family tradition  alone you can always dream up some delectable item for the day.  And who doesn't appreciate good food, especially if it is for some special reason?   So, is it the food or the reason that makes it a holiday?   Who cares!

Family games and activities go along with the holiday.  It doesn't matter whether it is a game of Mah-Jong, or a baseball game, ping pong, or Monopoly.  The spirit of fun and being together is what is needed.  The competitive spirit is great, up to a certain point, but it can get beyond reasonable boundaries and cause feelings.  Wish that weren't the case, but reality knows it is.

The down side of holidays is that they involve more work attached to our daily chores.  The decorating, putting it out, taking it down, finding a place to store it until a year later when the holiday bug bites again for that season, or reason.  The food preparation, making the effort to make it more festive, finding just the right thing to appeal to those enjoying.  And, of course, after the preparation, the cooking, and the eating, comes the ever present cleaning up.

There may be extra cleaning to go with a holiday.  Pumpkin carving isn't known for tidiness.Halloween is one that may carry extra cleanup as the treats get carried throughout the house and are hidden under couch cushions, etc.  You know how kids are. If you have a live tree at Christmas there is the taking care of the tree, keeping it alive so you can enjoy the pine scent---but after the season getting it out of the house with a trail of dry pine needles stuck in the carpet.  No fun.  Dying Easter eggs---slopping the dye, breaking the eggs.  I am sure you can think of others.  How about getting burned by the firecrackers on the fourth of July?
A definite downer!

If there are guests for any holiday....well, there is extra everything when there are guests.  General cleaning,  more laundry,  more food prep.... on and on.  And of course there is always risk with us humans, we don't all get along.  I have been in the middle of a holiday and had individuals end up in fist fights, or even worse, jail.

One must always ask oneself, is it worth it?   For me, I have found that it is.  The stress is present, but it is for a limited time that is recognized before, knowing there will be an end soon.  I have to remind myself of that from time to time when I am in the middle of a big holiday celebration.  "This too, shall pass,"   "hang in there"  "keep my mouth shut."  Faults and tempers need to be overlooked, controlled.  Nerves get frayed.

 Regardless of the human frailties I maintain that holidays are good. It is the good memories, the caring for each other, that can come during these special times  that make them of value.  Call if bonding if you like, it is something that people need.  Even those who resist it and complain about it, need it.  Holidays can be one means establishing this.  Yep, I still love holidays, ups and downs included.  Do you?  I hope you had a good Thanksgiving and are looking forward to December, then January, then February, March, April, May...and aall those possible holidays with those you care about.