Currently reading: Kraken by China Mieville (only just started).
Happy Holidays! Normally, I would be irritated and exhausted right now from working retail during the holiday season, but the store where I work is still closed due to complications from the pandemic. So I didn't have to endure the madness of Black Friday and I'm not sure yet whether I'll be aggravated by last-minute Christmas shoppers either. I certainly want the company to stop losing business though, and for everyone to keep their jobs, for pete's sake. So I'm having conflicting emotions (like many of us these days, about many things), appreciating the holidays anew and also fretting.
Despite the rough time we retail workers have, I still do love Christmas, once it finally arrives. It's not religious for me, just a fun time to relax with family, eat a lot, and watch a lot of movies. My family has a tradition of watching: Christmas Vacation, A Claymation Christmas, Garfield's Christmas, White Christmas, Scrooged, and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, plus the more recent additions of Elf and A Nightmare Before Christmas. And sometimes A Christmas Story or The Grinch! So that's a crapload of movies to get through in two or three days. It helps if you just rotate them in the background while you give elaborate stories about each gift that's being unwrapped. "So I got this back in September and I almost told you about it twice . . . "
In fact, you have to start late, take your time, and make the present-opening last as long as possible, surviving on coffee and the treats in your stocking. It's the only way to go. And there should probably be an old Christmas record blasting (The Little Drummer Boy) when you first stumble out of bed too.
I am incredibly lucky to have immediate family in driving distance, and my heart goes out to anyone who can't get home this year. Whether or not you celebrate anything, I hope you find some joy and peace despite the chaos/tragedy/dumpster fires of 2020. Treat yourself and take it easy. *hugs*