Grillless

 I don’t know if it’s just me… well, I know it’s not just me… when you reach a certain age, there are many of us who dread the Holiday Season. Commercialization Overkill. Too much time spent with relatives. Or on the other hand, nobody to spend the holidays with. These are but some of the reasons why many of us simply do not look forward to this particular time of year. Now the religious scholars will say this season isn’t about you or me, it’s about him (fill in the appropiate seasonal deity here). …But here is where I take a break for old time tradition. Christmas tradition. Sure, the holiday Chanakwanzamas tree in the lobby of my work brought me cheer this year, most notably because management stuck to their guns and put up a Christmas tree in 2007, so I renamed it as a Chanakwanzamas tree, but thinking about it now, I really should have named it a Diwanakwanzamas tree, to be fair.

Getting back to the story…

I’m not sure why I dread this season, all I know is that it has been awhile (many years) since/that I have felt this way, and I’m sure I had a damn good reason when I first started feeling this way, though I cannot remember the exact cause now. What I can tell you is that it is not a grinch-esque hate-on. I don’t hate this season, it’s more like a bad movie that you just want to stop watching, not so much emotional as objectionable. It’s personal in nature, and I am fine with anyone else’s opinion, be it good, love, or otherwise - their Christmas truly is their Christmas.

Today started like years past, no wait. Last night was when it really started. The night before Christmas. The time closest to Christmas. Ugh, great, Christmas is finally here. I had to run out to get mundane stuff like milk and toilet paper (if you must know, now you know) last minute, and everything was… capital C L O S E D. The corner variety stores would make a killing if anyone was actually out. Got back, ate something and wrapped presents. G’D Nite.

Back to today… it started like years past, so very… unexciting. Usually the kids’ joy brings me joy… but not this one day of the year. Except… Christmas dinner at my Dad’s. Title it “Presents and karaoke”. Now let me get to the good part:

(fast forward) 

Time for karaoke and we are doing the usual Christmas jingles, and after we exhaust those (don’t get me confused, this was our first karaoke), my Dad starts looking through the menu for other songs we can sing… and I see… Hood Figga. Wait A Minute. What a moment. I not only get my Dad to select it, but he didn’t even miss a beat the whole time the song was in play, he hit every lyric right on point! That’s right, on this night, I lost the karaoke battle, but gained one of the best Christmas’ ever (and my Dad gets to retain his Cool as Ice title belt)!

Now… sing along with Zoe! (peace, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all that!) 

!