Ramblings of an unfocused mind

It sure is cold here today!! We don't usually get weather like this until January. Brrrr! (I don't want any lip from the New Englanders in the crowd)

Mt. Dora is a tiny hamlet about an hour north of Orlando. I never understood why so many people gushed about this town. To me, it amounted to little more than a handful of "antique" shops (thrift shops really, but the word antique merits an extravagant markup), a lot of mediocre restaurants and a few tchotchke shops (selling candles, decorative ceiling fan pulls, candles, stained glass night lights, candles, dog breeds imortalized in ceramic, candles, sandstone coasters, candles, Vera Bradley totes and candles). Why would I drive an hour to browse through shops that sell nothing of interest to me? 

Because I'm a dumbass.

Lately, the Mt. Dora Chamber of Commerce has been running a super cute ad on television that makes it look awesome. The first time I saw the ad, I rolled my eyes and thought, "P.L.E.A.S.E!" But after the 10th time, I'd mellowed and wondered if Mt. Dora had something for me after all. Yesterday, I decided find out.

It is the same. Whatever.

My friend Alison doesn't celebrate Christmas. My preference would be not to observe this holiday, but that's not the way Steve rolls. If I had my way, the adults wouldn't be exchanging gifts at all. I once asked him how receptive he thought his family might be to the idea. He paused briefly, then answered, "Not a chance." So much for that.

Christmas is celebrated in such a way that it seems to run counter to the message. I love, Love, L.O.V.E. the idea of Christmas; a time when people share and reflect, gather and celebrate. What escapes me is the gift-giving. At this point in my life, there is nothing that anyone could possibly give me that wouldn't be a nuisance. 

Actually, I think that I do like celebrating Christmas. Only my idea of celebrating is different from the standard American version. Of course, I love the music, and I have fun baking for people. I like to plan Christmas activities - last year we went to St. Augustine to enjoy the lights. I like to do extra things for people, and especially remembering my favorite charities at the end of the year. I like everything except for the buying gifts part. It seems so stupid.

I wonder if my neighbors see me hustling across the street with a foil covered plate and groan. Here I am thinking that everyone loves how thoughtful I am, and they're probably wishing that I'd just give them a Target gift certificate. How ironic would that be?

As far as the gifts-as-nuisance thing goes, here's an example...last year, my aunt sent me a box full of goodies. I know she did it out of love, and I appreciated her thought (I continue to appreciate the thought), but jeeze. She sent me a new tote bag, cat magnets, a sweater, a book on cats (which was really good), a romance novel (does she even know me at all?) and a cookbook. I've only got a million tote bags and honest-to-God what am I going to do with cat magnets (besides the obvious)? If I need it, I already have it. Period. I don't need or want anymore things. If anyone really wants to do something for me that I would really, truly like, they can fire off a $10 check to the Humane Society of the U.S. I'm all for that.

Unfortunately people are unlikely to give to charity in someone's name. Even $10. They'd rather spend $50 on crap, than $10 on something that will make a difference in the world. It's a mystery.

Does honoring other people's traditions that run opposite to my own beliefs make me a hypocrite? I buy the people I love gifts because that is how they celebrate. 

It's a good thing that I don't have kids, because they would absolutely hate me. Maybe I could get away with lying to them, saying that our religion doesn't condone gift-giving. Never mind that my children would never know the inside of a church, and that the religion would be forever unnamed. Is it wrong to lie to your kids (wink)?

I think that I really do believe in Christmas, just my own version.