Wow...Holidays are HERE!

I didn't think it had been this long since I last wrote.  I have been busy finishing my book which we will E publish soon.  I have also been working a lot on my KIA blog.  Too much to do, never enough time to do it all. Which brings me to today's idea.  The Holidays are HERE! Thanksgiving was last week... here....gone.... Christmas is now upon us!  We are a bit desensitized because, after all, a lot of the stores have been green and red since mid October.  I did hear Christmas music in the first week of November this year. Wow.  

So, now you had your family in for a huge gathering last Thursday. In 1 month you get to do it all again.  It's too much!!! No one has time in 1 tiny month to do anything new that you can talk about around the dinner table at Christmas. So you get stuck hearing all the same stories that you heard at Thanksgiving...

Having family stay with you is tough.  You get so used to your routine and suddenly you are cooking for twice as many, (Stuff you would not normally cook), watching movies your houseguests want to watch, and just totally wonking up your daily routine in general.  By day three, it's like an episode of the Twilight Zone. Rod Serling standing in the corner of the room with a cigarette in his hand and that choppy cadence in his voice reminding you that there is no leftover gravy in The Twilight Zone!

Here are a few tips for surviving Holiday Guests. 

1. Remember...YOU invited them (most of the time)  If you dive into a pool of sharks, knowing there are sharks there, that's on you!

2. Wait to do your Christmas shopping. That way, while the Family is there, you have an excuse to get out for a couple of hours by yourself, hence a bit of peace and quiet. 

3. Practice breathing. When you get frustrated just inhale...exhale...repeat as necessary. 

4. Remember the definition of insanity...doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.  Maybe THIS year try inviting less people, or better yet, go to their house and annoy them for a change.

5. Send love to those who annoy you. Remember, they are your teachers. 

6. Look for the gift. If your folks are older, you may not be able to spend Christmas with them next year. And believe me, once they are gone, you will wish they could be there. 

7. Watch Christmas Vacation.  The Griswalds can teach you a few things. Like thank goodness Cousin Eddy belongs to them and not you. 

Happy Holidays / Merry Christmas / Happy Hanukkah / may you be blessed in whatever manner you celebrate. 

And so it begins..................

With a week and a half until Thanksgiving, we got it out of the way today.  My brother in law and his wife are here visiting from Canada.  The timing of their trip made it easier to have turkey and all the fixins' today.  My wife and I will then use this T-day credit, and do NOTHING on Thanksgiving day but sit at home in our jammies and watch the Macy's parade.  (I will admit it was strange to cook a full blown Thanksgiving day dinner (Complete with pie and naps) and not have the parade on.  Maybe I will DVR it this year so if by chance I find myself in a similar situation next Fall, I can watch it again. That all said, I guess my family has officially kicked off the Holiday Season.  Ho Ho Ho. 
The Christmas CD we talked about earlier is done, just waiting  to get it packaged, but they are ready to order.  E mail me at Speedcatproductions@hotmail.com for Pay Pal instructions. They are 10 bucks each plus 2 bucks shipping, with the proceeds going to St Jude's Children's Hospital and Toys for Tots.  It's a great album featuring 10 great Las Vegas headliners. 

Within the next two weeks, there will be nowhere in town that you can go without being in the midst of Christmas music, trees, lights, Bell ringers (donate something this year) and good tiding of great joy. Not to mention all those great Black Friday deals!  It is the start of my favorite time of year, albeit totally commercialized. Oh well, we take it all. Heck, it's Christmas!! 

Do yourself a favor.  Between now and December 24th, make it a point to watch  It's a Wonderful Life, The Santa Clause, A Christmas Carol (my favorite is George C Scott), The Family Man, Holiday Inn, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Christmas with the Kranks, The Christmas Story, And end it Prancer on Christmas Eve.  

Deck someone's halls and Jingle someone's bells this year.

Have a Great day.