It is that time of the year again!
The end of year seasonal holidays always gives me mixed emotions. I feel like holidays in general make people crazy. There is all this extra stress about hanging up decorations and making plans to celebrate. Nobody warned me about how annoying it would be that people will constantly keep asking questions about what you are doing for the holidays. And most of the time I just want answer by saying I am more focused on what bills are being paid this month, so I will let you know. I been thinking... We celebrate all these holidays and honestly, I don’t even know the purpose of why we celebrate in the first place. Maybe my family just drop the ball in explaining these things to me, but I get tired of spending money, putting forth all this extra effort and I have no idea why I am doing all of this.
HALLOWEEN
I know Mexican families celebrate Dias de Muertos (the Day of the Dead) as a way to honor their deceased loved ones, which I think is highly commendable. However, in America it seems like people just wear costumes, party and act crazy. Did you know crime and accidents always increase on this day? Additionally, who came up with trick or treating as a traditional ritual? I am not saying there is anything wrong with trick or treating. I understand that is something fun for children to enjoy but I am just asking why. Admittedly, I maybe slightly tainted because my mother never allowed my siblings and I to go trick or treating. So, for me, I do not participate in dressing up, I do not hang up scary decorations, I do not enjoy watching horror films and it is just another normal day. But I will eat some candy if it is given to me though! I love me some Reese and Snickers! So you can send a care package and cheer a sis up lol One thing that really bugs me is when other people are shocked that I do not participate in the shenanigans and then they try to convince me to dress up and go out. The same way they look at me asking "why not" is the same I look them asking why do you. And I have yet to meet someone who has provided me with a good enough answer to convince me to go all out with a costume.
THANKSGIVING
I LOVE THANKSGIVING!! I know this holiday does not have a very positive history, but it is my favorite holiday because it involves my two favorite things: family and food!! I truly love how this holiday brings the family together. When my family gets together on Thanksgiving, we always enjoy good conversation, fun games and bomb food. My dad’s family is Caribbean and mom’s family southern American, so I am ALWAYS eating good on this holiday regardless of whichever side I am visiting! Just thinking about the food gets me excited.
Although, I will say one thing that annoys me about Thanksgiving is the Black Friday frenzy that commences annually. I purposely do not do any shopping whatsoever from Halloween to Christmas because these businesses be ripping you all off. As someone who used to work in retail, I can inform you that those “sales” the companies have annoyingly started promoting before November even comes are not really that great of a deal. These companies take the merchandise that has been sitting on the shelf for months and just mark down the price so that you will buy it so they can get rid of it and make room for the new stuff coming for the next quarterly seasoning. Every year there is always crazy stores like people standing in the rain at 4am outside of store or fighting in Walmart for a television. I will keep my coins, I need them.
CHRISTMAS
Entering to adulthood, I now cannot stand Christmas. You can call me a grinch, I am perfectly okay with it. I do not care.
I do love colorful light decorations on houses and watching meaningful holiday movies while drinking hot chocolate, but I hate the coldness of winter and I honestly feel like Christmas has become so commercialized. I strongly despise people who prematurely celebrate Christmas. In my mind it is not appropriate to celebrate this holiday until December 1. I understand I should not tell people what to do but all I am saying is patience is a virtue. My sophomore year of college I went broke buying expensive gifts for family members and then the next month I could not afford my textbooks for school. SO after that year I stopped buying Christmas gifts for everybody except my nieces and nephews. It just really made me reflect on everything about this holiday. I spent however much money on all these gifts but can anyone even tell me why we even do a gift exchange on Christmas in the first place? The next year when I announced to my family that I am no longer giving gifts on this holiday they all look at me like I was crazy but also no one could provide me with a profound answer to my question. Eventually, after a little research and a healthy Facebook discussion I got some answers. I learned that in the Christian faith gift giving originated from the three wise men giving Mary and Joseph presents to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. So now I understand that gifts are basically an offering of love but honestly it still does not convince me to start spending money and continue to go crazy every year buying gifts and decorating.
I wish everyone safe, fun and loving holiday celebration.
Leave a comment about how you and your family celebrate these seasonal holidays!