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Often said, often meant.  This time, truly meant.  For some reason, this  Christmas is a little extra joyful.  I don’t know why and I am not going to question it.  We have everything we need and almost everything we want (I believe that “almost” is one of the keys to being happy).  Our kids are in college learning to be college kids.  My sister had some medical issues but came out smelling like a rose (the sauerkraut smell is completely gone) and Linda and I are still able to put our socks on in the morning by ourselves.

Unlike bonuses and entitlements, Christmas cheer isn’t a zero sum game.  Our cheer does not require someone else to loose out.  With this in mind, I can whole heartedly promote as much cheer as possible because it isn’t going to cost me anything.  So go ahead, grab a bag full and pass some on.

On a related topic, this Christmas was the year of the Amazon.  I am glad I am not in bricks and mortar retail.  Driving down congested streets with distracted and frustrated shoppers, negotiating demolition derby style parking lots and traversing the rows and racks of a store without a search function does not increase my cheer index.  On the other hand, my favorite online retailers know who I am, make me feel like i am the only one in the store, unless I want to know what other shoppers think of my perspective purchase, and allow me to check out in less time it takes for a clerk to ask me if i want to sign up for yet another credit card.  I’m not saying the UPS guy comes to the house a lot but the last time a UPS truck passed by our house without stopping was sometime in October (he later realized his mistake and stopped on the way back - rookie).

We used to send out Christmas cards, maybe we would through in a “hope everyone is doing well” handwritten message, then we sent Christmas letters done on the computer with a whole year recap of the good things we did or that happened to us, we included pictures an printed it in comic sans.  Now your mailbox is empty, you have to come here to get your Christmas wishes.  Instead of a page or two of bite size updates you have to wade through a menagerie of random posts.  But you and us, we are still here.  We are still friends and family and we wish you a merry Christmas.

# posted by theChristys @ 1:14 PM