Getting Into It

In the past year, I have heard myself say more and more things that I consider to be “Old people phrases”.  You know, the things that your parents used to say when you were growing up?

“GET OFF MY LAWN YOU CRAZY KIDS!”

“WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING!”

“Wipe your damned feet!”

“When I was your age, I had to walk to school, both ways!  It was always snowing, and I spent all day in class cold because they couldn’t afford more fuel to feed the fires because Saruman already burned down the forest of Fangorn!”

And, my personal favorite:

”It isn’t even Thanksgiving yet!  Damn it, don’t show me Xmas stuff until Thanksgiving is over with!  That’s just tacky!  It’s horrible!  It’s senseless!  XMas music early too?  OMG WHY?”

And, as we went to the local grocery store for the first time near the new apartment, we walked in, and I, grumpy sourpuss that I have always been about that last phrase up there, sighed when I saw wreaths adorning each and every pole in the checkout lines.

“HOW TACKY IS THAT?”  I proclaimed loudly.

Master chimed in too with “XMAS STUFF THIS EARLY IS WRONG!”

And, we gave the stink-eye to the cashier who was actually rather friendly despite our rudeness, our grump-a-lump attitudes, and even agreed with us for the sake of the whole “The customer’s always right” motto.  So, we left the store with our food and we went home.

The next day we began our walking at night, to help me get my POTS back under control.  We didn’t get far and we went home after maybe ten minutes or so.  We continued doing this though, and gradually began to do longer and longer walks.  The walks we are taking at the moment are right in the complex we live in, because there are beautiful paths there and if I get dizzy or faint, home is literally right there.  As the walks got longer, we noticed that there were ::gasp::  XMas trees in people’s windows!  Already!  Even in the beginning of November.  Master and me grumped and griped and got grouchy.

“But, it’s not Thanksgiving yet!”

“These people are so tacky!”

“What is wrong with everyone?!”

And then, last week we went into the grocery store again, where, as I mentioned above, there were garlands and baubles, Xmas songs playing and the whole works. Master got grumpy again.  I don’t blame him.  That’s what we both were doing.  We were being great big Grinches.  Even I frowned heavily and made an annoyed noise as we walked around.  Then, I stopped, looked Master in the eye and said:

“FINE!  If I can’t beat them (and I can’t!) then I give up.”  And I started singing Xmas songs and being happy and purry.  I think Master thought I was being silly and I was going to go back on it, so the next day he started grumping about the Xmas decorations and stuff again.  I started to sing Frosty the Snowman.  Master was confused.

“I thought you were as mad as I am about all the early Xmas stuff?”

“Nope,” said I.  “I’ve accepted it.  I can’t change it, and I’m excited for it.”  Master looked at me all confused-like.  Then, he started to sing Frosty the Snowman too.  Hey, if you can’t beat ‘em, as I said, you may as well join ‘em, right?

Master Pravus is a lot slower to come around to things than I, usually.  Especially with traditions.  We have the tradition of decorating the Xmas tree on Thanksgiving day, actually, and we usually buy one ornament to put on the tree per year.  (We’re not picky about the day we buy the ornament though, we wait until we find the right one, even if that takes until Dec 26th.)  Since things were out so early this year, we were looking through ornaments the last time we were in the store, and he started to join in the spirit.

“Should we put up the Xmas tree now?”  He asked, (I could tell he was joking a little), out of nowhere.

“YEAH!”  I shouted.

“But..  We always put it up on Thanksgiving!”  Master Pravus spluttered.  “It’s traditional!”

“Then let’s not put it up until Thanksgiving, I want to do whatever makes you happy”, I reminded him.

By the time he got home, he told me he was really getting into it, and that he did want to put up the XMas tree!  He said he was going to go upstairs and get the decorations that night so we could put garlands everywhere and have some fun with it.  We didn’t get around to it, because we wound up having to do a few other things that day that came up, but it’s kind of a nice change.  As I type this, I don’t know if we will be putting up the Xmas stuff this weekend, or, indeed, on Thanksgiving as per usual, but I’ll be happy no matter what Master Pravus decides.

I am not one of those people who believes, generally, in “choosing your mood.”  I mean, if someone is mean to me, yes, I’m going to be hurt for a little while.  Depending on how bad it is, it could be ten hours or ten minutes.  If I win a million dollars, I’m going to be thrilled, no matter what happens, for at least a little while.  If someone I know and love dies, then I’ll be heartbroken, and there’s nothing I can do (in my opinion) to change those chemical reactions in my head until I am feeling better again.  I’m human, after all. 

But, some things you can choose.  You can choose to let something little like what what other people are doing (that isn’t hurting anyone) bother you.  (Early Xmas trees), or, you can join in and share in the excitement!  Xmas is one of our favorite holidays.  We don’t believe in any of the religious aspects of it, and we celebrate it as the consumer day that it is.  So, what’s the big deal with enjoying it a little early?

Season’s Beatings, you guys.  I’m into it.

=^.~=