Post-holiday comedown

Holidays are always exercises in ups and downs.

There is always build up, anticipation, expectations, plans as you lead up to THE BIG DAY.

Then the day arrives. You are either caught up in the moment, busy keeping kids happy, driving here and there to visit family and friends, cooking, eating, cleaning, straightening, washing, drying, whatever.

And then, you turn around and the day is over.

Where did it all go? You mean, that's IT? Tomorrow is just another day?

As a kid, of course, the biggest holiday letdown was Christmas. The buildup was almost beyond a child's comprehension--for most kids, anyway. The lights are twinkling everywhere, the presents gather under the tree, sometimes, for some people, in baroque proportions. The music assaults you everywhere, the Salvation Army bells are inescapable. You know what it it like.

Then the big day rolls around and most of the day is spent opening stuff, throwing away stuff, trying to construct stuff, learning how to play with stuff. Then the day after arrives and you have a pile of opened presents tucked away in your corner of the living room, all of which you have examined and played with once, and then you think . . . "Do I play with it AGAIN? Isn't there something new to do?"

It's a sad commentary on our commercial, materialistic world.

*****

Thanksgiving is a bit different. Because it is always on a Thursday and I have always had a job or situation where I could not have to worry about working on Fridays, the holiday delay is a bit different. This is especially true now because it seems that about one-third of today's Thanksgiving holiday is devoted to celebrating the day-after shopping events.

Which is where Tegan and her mom were today, from early this morning--while the rest of us slept--until about 3 o'clock this afternoon. When not cooking and helping prepare stuff yesterday, they were perusing ad circulars, determining which stores to visit, in which order, and what specific items they were aiming to purchase. It was a real battle plan--one they coordinated with precision, determination, and a clear focus--BARGAINS!

It worked, I am sure. They got lots of stuff and got lots of discounts. The girls were good for me while they were gone, and I managed to get some real work done while Ruth took a nap.

So, it has been a pretty good day. Maybe the post-holiday letdown comes tomorrow?