It’s Starting Now And “It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over”

Two months to go. Two months to say “So Long 2016, Happy 2017!”. Unless you live in a cave far, far away or have the serenity of a monk, it’s hard not to get carried away by the holiday spirit. And why shouldn’t you? It’s a time to rejoice, celebrate, to be with family and friends, release old grudges, make amends, be generous, give and receive gifts… Or so “they” say. Whoever they are.

I haven’t fully recovered yet from the fun and demanding Halloween marathon that I went through with my kids and, as I see from my window, my lawn with the fake cemetery with spider webs all over is a living (or dead) proof of that. But who cares? I don’t even care. I know I’m not ready for what’s coming on my way but, behold, trusting my survival instincts, I will make this a jolly holiday season for our family while keeping my sanity. I pull it off every year anyway. Should flaws, mistakes and faux pas occur, they are vanished on January 1st like unwanted leftovers. Yes, we have a chance to start all over again with a clean slate. That’s the beauty of it.

I don’t want to give the wrong impression though. I love Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve and the Bungalow will gladly host these gatherings with all the love and “all the toys”. What’s not so fun is to be buried by an avalanche of festivities, feeling anxious and overwhelmed. A to-do list longer than Santa’s naughty or nice list? No way.

What I am saying is that I wish the all the holidays would start in three months… just not yet.

No wishing star in the world or even Santa can grant me that, I know, but it’s worth a thought. Actually, it’s worth a try to make it easier to every Bohemian, every guest who knocks on my door. Feeling frustrated, tired of shopping and looking for things? Nauseated by the traffic or Christmas songs blasting in every store you put your feet in? Not sure how to reconcile your life and its demands or better, how much you’ll have to spend on Santa’s behalf? Stop now and come to the Bungalow to refresh your mind or share a story. How about an “End-Of-The-Year-Palooza”, where we can relax, laugh, purge memories to help us cope better with the craziness of the holidays? I’ll do the work, you only have to show up. I’ll keep you posted! “It ain’t over ‘till it’s over”, baseball legend Yogi Berra once said wisely so we better relax and make this jumpy ride enjoyable.

I will hold it together these next two months, I promise, but don’t you dare, Valentine’s Day decorations, showing up unannounced. There is only so much a person can take.