The festive grind

I always say I'm going to cut back this year because every year preparing for Christmas seems to grow even more wearisome. In spite of my pronouncement, I always find myself eating my words, along with all that cookie dough.

The grind has begun, and just before Bill left this morning, I told him we're gonna need a Christmas tree this weekend. I do have concerns about Miss Kea Pup and her potential for chewing up the tree and all its decorations, but we had a decorated tree two years ago when Kiwi was a babe. I don't recall any major disasters.

This week has been designated Christmas card week. And, please note, I still call them Christmas cards because when I was a kid we weren't indoctrinated with ubiquitous politically correct reminders that all this Christmas hoopla was NOT about Christ; it was, instead, about the holidays. I'm kinda mad at Leanin' Tree Cards cuz they put those postal marks all over their envelopes: Happy Holidays -- Dec. 25.

Now, that sure makes sense, doesn't it. December 25 is only one day, so, if anything, it should read "Happy Holiday." They were being so careful to look politically correct, they ended up looking just plain stupid. The smart thing they did, however, was to leave plenty of room in that postal circle where I could write in "Merry Christmas." So, there'll be a few folks out there receiving those free Christmas cards Boots gave me, with edited postmarks. Hope the mail takes them through.

Speaking of political correctness and speaking of "w00t," the "word" of the year---yeah, I know I never have spoken of the "word" of the year, but it sure worked for my transition into a new thought so I'm gonna use it. Besides, those incorrect saps like me will tell you it's the season of joy so why not "w00t" a little. Actually, I don't feel much "w00t" about another word that has been used a lot lately with every possible decision known to man.

I'm getting sick and tired of being reminded that my life and the life of everyone else in this world has to turn GREEN. That's especially because I've spent most of my life quietly following the same philosophy that a lot of "do-good" politicians have suddenly discovered. Now, they want us to know that our earth is gonna fall apart and unless we start thinking GREEN, we're going to be the cause of it all.

I pick up my garbage, and I pick up that of others who lose theirs out of the backs of their pickups while going the back way to the transfer station. I turn off our lights when they're not needed. I try not to waste our resources; in fact, I cherish our resources and would do anything to preserve them from insane developers who could care less if ducks and geese used to swim in those wetlands they destroyed to build a road through an "affordable housing" site on our old farm.

I don't need to be reminded with every breath to think GREEN cuz I've been thinking it for a long time and wondering why all those other elites of the world have taken so long to catch onto the concept.

Oh yeah, I was talking about Christmas, and I got all worked up to the point I'm turning red. Speaking of which, both of the colors of Christmas are getting into the PC action these days. If we buy anything red, I'm told, we're helping all the starving children in the world. So, does that mean that those red bags I bought at the Dollar Tree the other day are helping feed the hungry in Africa?

On a more serious note, I did recently fill a shoebox and took it to a lady from the Baptist Church.That was a project which revolves around that bad word: Christmas. I think a lot of churches work on the project, and I think it's pretty neat to pick out a child---male or female of a certain age---and fill the shoebox with nonperishable and useful items, like wash cloths, toothbrushes, hair brushes, school supplies, books, etc. We also put in $7 for transport expenses. The church people take it from there and see that the shoeboxes get to third-world countries. And people like me feel like we've done something tangible, something valuable for some unknown child in a far away country.

Actually, don't get me wrong. I applaud all efforts to do good in this world, but sometimes it seems like the packaging of some efforts gets a bit carried away. That suddenly we must all think GREEN suggests that we've all been a bunch of dummies all these years bent on the destruction of all that Mother Nature and God created for us. The implied message feels a bit insulting at times to those of us who discovered long ago that conservation and preservation ought to be daily habits.

I guess I'm getting off track with my rant and veering away from my Christmas "wOOt." So, I'd better shut up, get downstairs and keep working on those Christmas cards. Cuz pretty soon there's gonna be a tree---cut from a forest---to decorate. We'd better enjoy it while we can cuz the GREEN gods are gonna write us up.

May you all have a day filled with "wOOt," and please think GREEN when you take the garbage out.