Hello Readers,
Welcome to my final newsletter of 2023!
I love almost every moment of the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. It is a period like no other, where friends, family, food, and sports converge to make nearly every day interesting. Life gradually slows as Christmas approaches, but paradoxically, time speeds up, and the season ends in the blink of an eye.
It is a unique season where everything is deliberately different (decorations, food, music), a relief from the homogenous year-round sameness that essentially only varies according to the seasonal weather.
Of the approximately forty days comprising the American holiday season, which is your favorite? That question is tricky because there are so many great days to choose from. Those include Thanksgiving Day, the Big Game (Michigan 30, Ohio State 24), the Army-Navy football game (Army 17, Navy 11), countless college football bowls, Festivus, various days throughout Hanukkah, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and various other religious and cultural celebrations.
My favorite is Christmas Eve. It is the epitome of the season, a day focused entirely on holiday activities while still sustaining anticipation. There are still minor preparations to be made, but most of the heavy lifting has already been done. The day is about overeating, having drinks, opening a few presents, watching Christmas movies and sports, and just anticipating the next day. It is a few degrees less intense than Christmas.
Christmas Eve has been my favorite since childhood. The highlight was being allowed to open one gift of our choice. There was a “calm before the storm” feeling as bedtime approached, concluding the evening with leaving cookies and milk out for Santa. The next day, we woke up at the crack of dawn, plowed through present after present, then packing up the car and headed to my grandparents’ house for Christmas dinner and more presents.
Christmas Eve stands out from the other days in the season because it feels like nostalgia for the present, as contradictory as that sounds. You know you are currently in a good place, and with the wisdom of having lived through over fifty Christmas seasons, it inspires a rare appreciation for the now.
Thank you for indulging me in my holiday season ramblings. Enjoy it all, and I will talk to you again in 2024!
Take care,
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