mmmmm, the holidays

I guess lots of blogs will be addressing the holidays. Personally I enjoy them more than I loathe them. There are political and commercial reaons not to support them but at this point in my life these are traditions I'm not ready to put to rest.
Thanksgiving is actually fairly pleasant. We do it pot luck style and invite whoever needs a seat at a table that year we know of. Folks are usually on their good behaviour, not much drinking and no football to speak of, so its pretty mellow.
I do like to set a nice table but since we often sit somewhere with a plate on our lap I don't put much effort into it.
I guess its boiled down to a yearly day my twisted family gets together to eat. I haven't made many attempts to politicize it. Most of us agree the Natives got screwed. I don't know how familiar everyone is with factory farming but my blood doesn't seem to be very revolutionary. They're all stuck in their retail or cubicle jobs and just don't seem to have the energy for anything else. A lot of un-addressed depression lurking too but that's another whole thing.
Christmas is my second favorite holiday. It's in a toss up with Halloween. I think I like anything that's dramatic. I love to decorate the house. Although last year not much happened. I hope this year I at least get the outside lights up. I will probably opt for unbreakable ornaments on the tree. We get a live tree, and then plant one somewhere in the spring. Tried the artificial one year and our cats destroyed it. And I missed the smell of pine. I have to confess though-one of the items I'm aching to get my hands on is an aluminum tree with the color wheel. I NEED it. Its a nostalgia thing. I'd have both.
I like everything associated with Christmas except me caroling and the retail insanity. I think this year we've come up with a good plan. The girls in thefamily have put our funds together and we're going to a full day home spa. Hiring a masseuse and everything. We get pampered, we have togetherness and we're not stuck in the stores. I'm looking forward to it.
I want to do a boy group thing but I am flummoxed and can't think of something they would all like....
Last year, we ONLY shopped at local merchants. It was a lot less crowded and I didn't feel like I was contributing directly to a monopoly. I'll shop for the kids that way this year too.
I also have my annual decorating party. We all get together at my place and make Christmas ornaments. We have the tried and true glass ball projects and we try something different each year. Even the non-artists really seem to enjoy themselves. We listen to goofy Christmas music, have coffe, tea and chocolate chip cookies and whatever goodies are handy. Lots of laughter and companionship....the best!.
Christmas day is usually kinda nuts because I've ALWAYS driven from house to house to visit. I have no idea what its like to wake up and stay home.

I'm off to the grocery store to get ingredients to try some new recipes.