Kicking off the Holiday

This one just might be relatively stress free; do you think I can stick with that for the rest of the month?

First of all, my buds and I have all agreed not to purchase gifts for one another this year. Instead, we'll get together for dinner and drinks and call it done. It will ease December chaos and January expenses, and we're all in agreement that we can maintain spirit and remember the Reason for the Season without an extra bauble to unwrap. Good food, good friends, and we're blessed enough.

That said, I don't want to give up giving. I rarely carry cash with me, but this month I've stockpiled all of my change and have resolved to drop a handful into every Salvation Army bucket. My December will be full of "Happy Holidays's" and no more avoiding eye contact and slinking guiltily past those merry bell ringers, out there freezing their hiney's off for a good cause. I'll also be sending a check to A Woman's Fund.


It's good to have a plan. Since my month is now so stress free, I didn't mind so much, heading downtown, to catch a glimpse of the Christmas parade and watch the city's tree-lighting ceremony tonight. 9 degrees with the wind factored in, and still Main Street was packed with families: little kiddies in wagons, and people wearing christmas lights and antlers on their heads. It was kind of contagious.




But the real reason I went out tonight was for this:


One of my favorite movies, played on a big screen in a glorious old theater. Worth every cent of the $5 ticket, and yes, I still teared up at the end, like I do every time I watch this movie.

I think it's going to be a nice month.