Well… Yes, I did.
But that’s old news right now. With a little more than eleven months to go before we do it all over again, that’s truly a long, long stretch to cover.
But as the saying goes, “good things come to those who wait.”
I can.
It’s a new year new year, 2019, so here we go again. Let’s put Christmas behind us. It will come again to be enjoyed, so long as we do all the necessary things (whatever they may be) to stay healthy. That done we will make it to December 2019 and do the whole Merry Christmas/Happy holidays ritual all over again.
Sure, it’s a predictable and redundant ritual of shopping, eating and drinking… (consumption madness) those of the Scrooge-school-of-thought would say. But it’s also a very personal thing.
I tried to keep it simple by staying far from the frenzy of it all. It’s just too much.
Nevertheless, as far as Christmas goes there are basic mundane things that have to be done leading up to the big day and to enjoy the season.
Actually, my holiday season celebrations really began back in August with a warm-up birthday extravaganza, a sort of ‘beginning lead-up’ to the big season. It continued in September with another celebration (I forget what it was); October was a big anniversary celebration; November was an annual banquet, followed by a surprise birthday event. Everyone was thinking and feeling… Christmas.
And then December came in a hurry, as if to say, “Let’s go.” The first day was appropriately a Christmas concert with ample seasonal entertainment provided by a host of singers performing seasonally flavoured Caribbean music. This was followed in mid-December by another event celebrating the life of an iconic calypsonian. Christmas was in the air.
At that juncture, all those events had people primed; it was a rapid build-up to the joy-to-the-world giving-and- receiving season. In my view it was the coming of that annual gift/reward for all who were lucky enough to have survived another turbulent, grueling year to let the celebrating begin.
However you chose to spend your 0 to 10 days of holiday time, I hope yours were relaxing and wonderful.
After all it was Christmastime.
I spent mine catching up on a bit more sleep and relaxation, ate a little (as much as – and no more than –I could manage. And I watched some interesting documentaries and news stories, grist for stuff to write about in 2019. And it all ended on New Year’s Eve with a bang.
So was my Christmas holiday experience.
That’s old news; the so-called “holiday season” is over. A brand new year is now underway, so it’s back to the business of the real world, and our community business needs attention…
And on the first Sunday of the New Year I went to church for blessings and inspiration. I’m told it’s a good way to start a new year.
It was noted during the service that it was the Sunday of Epiphany, which is significant in the (Christian) calendar. And as his sermon was coming to a conclusion, the preacher summoned the congregation to
“Go Make A Difference” (I imagine… in the world), and in a positive way.
Begin with the community; we always have a lot to do to make right this community, which needs much work, fixing… Embracing that missing spirit of Harambe would be a good start.
