Polar Bears Skiing In Autumn Leaves

Money's scarce
Times are hard
Here's your FUCKING Christmas card

~Phyllis Diller

 

The week after Thanksgiving has always left me a bit discombobulated. Oh, not from overindulging in Thanksgiving leftovers, or shopping till I drop for seasonal bargains, no it's the wishing in my heart that autumn's demise wasn't imminently written in stone. I love finding houses already decorating for Christmas, but my heart just leaps when I also see among the animated decorations, a big pile of purple, orange, red and yellow leaves. Like the one in the photo above. Why is it so irritating when stores begin dragging out Christmas paper, and decorations to sell in "pre-holiday" sales, but when I see that someone in the neighborhood has collided the seasons events, I feel all warm and cozy inside? Is that perhaps a double standard?

Hmmmm...

Maybe it's the pressure of everything. Feeling like I must begin buying those bargains. Or maybe it's that stores tend to make it all seem so very vital to make a timely purchase. I don't know. As I was sharing with a pal earlier today, in this economy, I can understand folks wanting to take advantage of the early sales, so they can make their holiday purchases a little at a time. The new layaway programs are a good way to do that. It's a lot nicer then impulse buying, and then facing the harsh reality of ones generosity in a cold, dark January credit card statement. That's a lesson learned by me, way back in the stone age, aka, the 1980's. LOL. I was in my 20's and I loved to buy Christmas presents for those I loved. But as much as I loved to make my loved one's smile, I liked to make ME smile more, so, for every gift I gave away, I bought myself two gifts. LOL.

Well, like I said, I was in my twenties, and that is when we are supposed to make those kinds of mistakes. And I certainly did. No one likes to wake up and realize they have made a mistake, but if realized properly, it can be an invaluable lesson, that will enrich the rest of your life. I am not a material person, oh don't get me wrong, I can be highly sentimental about objects, but when push comes to shove, I would never covet any possession, if it meant having to give up my peace of mind, or Alan's. He is the most important consideration in life. And I know that I am his. And for that reason, we discuss the silly little tradition of gifting.

And he still manages to surprise me with the most wonderful gifts.

Like a pearl necklace on my 50th birthday... because he gets it! :)

Well, he turned 50 this year also.

I like being 50, but I wasn't too thrilled about turning 50. LOL.

When worlds collide... and seasons... and holidays... and mistakes... and birthdays... and moments of wisdom...

Polar bears skiing in autumn leaves makes all the sense in the world.

~Me :)