NaBloWriMo Day 23 What Calendar?

There is a facebook badge that I’ve seen around that says “I will not shop on Thanksgiving, blah blah blah…” I can’t remember the rest, but essentially it was all about spending time with family and making sure those in retail could do the same.

Here are my thoughts on that: What? Ok, if you want to spend time with family only on a day designated by scripture, government, or the 4^th Thursday of the 11^th month, fine. But not everyone holds to that line of thinking, and your employer may be one of them. While I realize there are those who make the underlings work like dogs on holidays while they stay home and bask in the light and love of family, just remember, they’re hidebound by tradition and a number grid.

Most of my family does their own things on the holidays. It happened right after my ex and I split the sheets, although it was also shortly after Spawn got married and we had to share her with her husband’s family. Anyway, my ex came to me and said we needed to figure out how we were going to divvy up the holidays, but I said I’d have the kids over “whenever.” We decided they would have breakfast here, then spend the rest of the day with their dad and trundle up to the grandparents’ for the big family dinner thing. Tradition! (a fun one that has given me plenty of wonderful memories). It was easy peasy.

I’ll admit, I was worried about that first Christmas. I was still bound by the calendar and bemoaned the whole “this is going to be different, and I don’t like different. How am I going to handle this?” It turns out, I handled it like a champ and discovered it was rather pleasant. Despite my fears of deep depression and misery at being alone for the first time on a major holiday, I did fine. Better than fine. The day was quiet and I spent it watching the DVD’s I’d gotten, read the book I’d been given, and relaxed.

It. Was. Wonderful. I survived that holiday and I did it by myself. Yay me.

Now, Middle Minion must work on all major holidays because the company he works for must service drivers who also work holidays. His father is less than thrilled. When Middle Minion told me I wouldn’t be able to spend the big holidays with him, I said, “Ok, we’ll do it whenever we’ve got the time. I have to go to the shop then anyway. We can do a Merry Thanks for Independence Day Valentine’s card exchange whenever we jolly well feel like it. It doesn’t matter what month or day. Let’s throw out the goddamn calendar and celebrate whenever the hell we please.”

I cannot begin to tell you how lovely it feels to have all that pressure just lift away. After all, they’re just numbers on a grid. We can celebrate when we want.