Bah, Humbug
Spring is my favorite time of year. The growth and rebirth after the hibernation of winter really takes a hold of me. To the point where I usually go through some major life change every Spring - new apartment, new job, new car, you name it.
But Fall is a close second. Spring is all about chaos and energy, but Fall is all about consistency and procedure.
It starts with Labor Day. Although it's been many years since it signified the first day of school for me, it continues to mark the end of summer's fun and frivolity, and time to get back to business.
September and October find the weather getting colder and the days getting shorter. There's an urgency in the air, you'd best get that last bit of energy expended before winter sets in. During my twenties I think my average number of dates per week always went up this time of year - there was just something in the air that wanted me walking around in those crisp fall evenings.
Daylight savings time marks an end to that, as darkness sets in late afternoon, and Halloween is one last social Hurrah before November arrives. Time to stock up on social interaction before November sets in.
November is all about nesting. Making casseroles and pies. Curling up under a warm blanket with a good book. Taking hot baths and drinking hot tea. This stage of fall culminates in Thanksgiving, which celebrates everything that November is about (and which, for the record, is the swankest holiday of the year).
And now we are prepared for December and the Advent/Christmas season. It's the greatest hits of October and November. You get the tradition and fun with family that was highlighted in November, along with the social atmosphere and must-work-hard-to-get-it-all-in aspect of October. The tradition of putting up the Christmas Tree with Grandma's ornaments, and thinking of Grandpa as you're forced to put the tinsel on the tree according to his dictates (exactly one strand of tinsel per branch. No more, no less), so that you can have friends over for a holiday shin-dig.
And it all culminates in an end of the year frenzy combining the many days of Christmas, along with New Years, and if you're lucky a Boxing Day celebration thrown in for good measure. Banking the good cheer, so that you can budget it out to last through the dark days of winter until Spring greets us anew.
So when merchants start advertising Christmas wares after Halloween, instead of waiting until after Thanksgiving when it's appropriate, it just messes with the whole cycle of the season. Too much joy too early! And when the merchants insist not only on selling Christmas decorations, but also start playing Christmas music a serious injustice has been committed.
If you're looking for me I'll be in the tub with a good book, or in the kitchen popping something tasty into the oven. (Or packing for the big move, but that's an anomaly this year).
But Fall is a close second. Spring is all about chaos and energy, but Fall is all about consistency and procedure.
It starts with Labor Day. Although it's been many years since it signified the first day of school for me, it continues to mark the end of summer's fun and frivolity, and time to get back to business.
September and October find the weather getting colder and the days getting shorter. There's an urgency in the air, you'd best get that last bit of energy expended before winter sets in. During my twenties I think my average number of dates per week always went up this time of year - there was just something in the air that wanted me walking around in those crisp fall evenings.
Daylight savings time marks an end to that, as darkness sets in late afternoon, and Halloween is one last social Hurrah before November arrives. Time to stock up on social interaction before November sets in.
November is all about nesting. Making casseroles and pies. Curling up under a warm blanket with a good book. Taking hot baths and drinking hot tea. This stage of fall culminates in Thanksgiving, which celebrates everything that November is about (and which, for the record, is the swankest holiday of the year).
And now we are prepared for December and the Advent/Christmas season. It's the greatest hits of October and November. You get the tradition and fun with family that was highlighted in November, along with the social atmosphere and must-work-hard-to-get-it-all-in aspect of October. The tradition of putting up the Christmas Tree with Grandma's ornaments, and thinking of Grandpa as you're forced to put the tinsel on the tree according to his dictates (exactly one strand of tinsel per branch. No more, no less), so that you can have friends over for a holiday shin-dig.
And it all culminates in an end of the year frenzy combining the many days of Christmas, along with New Years, and if you're lucky a Boxing Day celebration thrown in for good measure. Banking the good cheer, so that you can budget it out to last through the dark days of winter until Spring greets us anew.
So when merchants start advertising Christmas wares after Halloween, instead of waiting until after Thanksgiving when it's appropriate, it just messes with the whole cycle of the season. Too much joy too early! And when the merchants insist not only on selling Christmas decorations, but also start playing Christmas music a serious injustice has been committed.
If you're looking for me I'll be in the tub with a good book, or in the kitchen popping something tasty into the oven. (Or packing for the big move, but that's an anomaly this year).
posted by Swankette at 7:05 PM
4 Comments:
Whoa, babe! What happened here???? Fall colors for the House of Swank?
Can you cook up something tasty for me????? I'd like that.
Love the new design, Swankette. Did you do it yourself?
Still promising myself to learn CSS...
You left out my favorite November holiday--Leftover Day!!! OK, so it's kinda Thanksgiving's afterword or postscript, but it's still my favorite.
kaphine
Joe and TRP - I've been working with the templates on blogger for the new design. Except it keeps doing freaky stuff on my right when I can't do it anymore, so there is still some tweaking to be done.
Kaphine - I left Leftover Day out because I felt that explaining leftover day would detract from the theme of the post, but perhaps I will do a post specifically related to it. It's the transition day between the nesting of November and the all-out frenzy of December. You're chilling, but with friends instead of family. I also only made a passing nod to Boxing Day. I wish I could do a Boxing Day dinner for everyone this year (she said facetiously, knowing she might still be living out of boxes come holiday time).
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