waxing on holidays

I think I was a bit odd as a child when it came to holidays. I really didn't care for them too much. Nor did I particularly anticipate them.

Wait. I take that back. I did love Halloween. I have always loved Halloween. I loved hte costumes, the act of trick-or-treating, and of course, examining the loot and eating it.

But back to the other holidays.

I suppose I was just a lazy child. I didn't like dyeing easter eggs and I absolutely loathed trimming the Christmas tree. I didn't like making Valentine cards or giving out store-bought ones. I thought it was stupid to have to give one to everyone in my class, even the kids I didn't like. I didn't like Thanksgiving. I hated turkey and ddin't like spending time with random families I didn't know.

In my book, holidays were only good for one thing. Days off from school.

I did enjoy Christmas presents but I wasn't crazy about them. My favorite part was the candy. I admit it, I am somewhat of a candy freak. I didn't need to wake up at the crack butt of dawn to see what Santa had left for me. Even as a child, I loved my sleep. I would sleep til nine or ten on Christmas morning if my little sister wasn't hopping in my bed every five seconds trying to wake my ass up and drag me out of bed. When she grew tired of that she would start pulling apart my stocking and bring back little things to show me. Look what you got! Look at this!

That did it, of course. I would pop up after that. No one messes with my candy.

So it doesn't surprise me that I am still this way as an adult. Holidays are markers of time, but I could do without them. Except Halloween of course. I like observing the seasons in my own way, but I don't like to go all out or make a big deal out of it.

Of course I am thinking about this in the wake of Valentine's Day. I am not anti-Valentine's Day. I just don't care about it. I don't think hateful thoughts or happy thoughts about it. I really think it is just silly and another thing to make people feel stressed and pressured by. It comes and goes in my world with nary a thought. Except for the chocolates. I do love a good box of chocolates. Sometimes I go to Godiva and pick out my own chocolates and create a little box of love for myself.

I don't think holidays are horrible things. They are fun and festive, but more often than not bring about so much stress and pressure. Everyone celebrates and observes in their own way, whether it's big and outlandish or quiet and simple. For me, I just want the simple, no stress, no pressure kind of celebrating.

But really, I just want the candy.