Creativity, Purpose and Passion

Who doesn’t know by now that I boycotted Christmas 10 years ago? With good reason too… Tell me honestly, when was the last time Christmas was truly about peace, joy and love for you? Hang your head doggedly and mumble this admission under your breath. You have let yourself get caught up in the frantic shopping.

And yes, I saw you coming out of the novelty store carrying bags of “stuff” that is going to clutter someone’s desk/kitchen/bookshelf for the next two months until they screw up enough courage to stuff it under the bed. By June, it will be evicted and find itself at Goodwill trying desperately to find a new home.

Your thoughtful friends and family will reciprocate by unloading a pile of crap under your tree and make you suffer 6 months of guilt for thinking, “Which sucker can I unload this on?”

Why does Christmas have to last all year? … Oh don’t argue! You know it does! September to December you shop. December to January, you gain 40 pounds (mostly alcohol to dull the pain of the family arguments). January to June, you pay the credit card bills. And July to August, you hope to lose the 40 pounds. (Don’t worry about that, you’ll lose it quickly enough when you start dragging those damned fruitcakes around again in September.)

Right! So what was my point? It had something to do with what George Bernard Shaw said: “A perpetual holiday is a good working definition of hell.” (He’s my 3rd favourite playwright, by the way.)

I’m taking yet another page out of Alice’s Adventures. The tea party was to celebrate unbirthdays and, by George, I’m going to celebrate an unChristmas! You just try and stop me! I’ll stuff you in a teapot!