Post Holiday Season Sickness

Another year has passed and as with all the excitement and stress one has acquired this holidays, there is a sigh of relief for being able to survive the season.

 I for one, who thought myself so smart for starting to do my Christmas shopping by September was still caught in the holiday rush.  How I hated being near the mall for it turned out to be the most unrelaxing place on earth these past few months.  Even the usual relaxing friday coffee meetups with friends has turned out to be a gift giving fiasco.  It seems that all my nights were all spent going thru my lists, wrapping gifts and writing cards.

I fondly remember past childhood Christmases were all I think about was getting the book that I want.  Yes, even as a child, I have always been a "reader not a player" :-).  As a child, I can't wait for Christmas to come.  And now ironically, I cannot wait for it to be over.  Adulthood has made me an impatient grinch.

The impatience I guess, comes from the fact that we are now at the opposite end.  Instead of being the reciever, we are now the giver.  And the responsibility to be a giver seems to come with a great price and most often, we underappreciate its value.  We become to engrossed with giving the cutest, priciest, nicest gifts that we forget to take into account the essence of the role. Because although we always complain of the Christmas rush, the stress and the money spent, there is no better feeling in the world than knowing that you have made someone happy.  That is the gift we recieve for giving back.  So although I grit my teeth and gnaw my nails as Christmas comes close, I also look forward to the memories of wide smiles and warm laughter, which although not wrapped in glittering paper is a wonderful gift nonetheless.

Happy Holidays Everyone!