Holiday Thoughts

I'm just going to toss out some random holiday thoughts as I am more that worn out from a day filled with family and food and more little ones running around the house than you could ever imagine.



I really enjoyed the fact that the local news, in addition to the usual stories from the homeless shelters and donation sites, had a story from a Chinese restaurant. I had never actually seen a news story that basically went, "If you ever wondered where the people who don't celebrate Christmas go, here you are. Let's observe them in their natural habitat."



One of the things I miss is the joy of getting up on Christmas morning. I no longer get to race down a flight of stairs in order to see what I got. Now I try to a) stay under the covers so I can get as much sleep as possible and b) recognize the fact that getting up early will not result in my getting any presents any earlier as we exchange them in the mid-afternoon.



Once again, Santa did not get me a fire truck this year thus making it twenty five years that the fat guy in the red suit has let me down. And I've been good this year. Ok, mostly good. I mean, what do I do that is so wrong? Oh yeah, the heartless cynicism. Right.



I still don't get the heartless part. I had an electrocardiogram this year. I actually have pictures of my heart. So there is proof that I have one, just that it is three sizes too small.



I am also a little bummed by the fact that Midnight Mass now takes place at 10 PM at my church. Partly because of the blatant false advertising but mainly because it reduces the number of people who arrive at church after a night of drinking. It always provided a last call atmosphere to the event that is sorely missed much of the year. Still, it is my favorite mass because of the fact that it is set apart at a special time and it features the intoning of the date where we discuss the date of the nativity in such terms as olympiads and years from the founding of Rome. I loved that as a kid and I still enjoy it today.



Yes I did get a Christmas present of a Notre Dame victory in a bowl game. I wish people wouldn't react to it as though ND has now returned to national prominence. We beat a bad Hawaii team in a meaningless bowl game. This isn't a celebration of how great we are; it is more like "wow, we didn't screw up this time." Also, what does it say when Weis doesn't even leave the press box at halftime? Did he at least call down to the locker room?



And no matter how cynical I am, getting to be surrounded by my family and looking at the same stockings and ornaments that we have had since I was a kid is a wonderful thing. Sometimes it is all you wish for in the world.



I might toss another post out this weekend. Enjoy the long weekend either way.