I Just Can't Help Being Cynical During the Holidays...

It's the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer"
It's the most wonderful time of the year
It's the hap-happiest season of all
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings
When friends come to call
It's the hap- happiest season of all (Eddie Pola and George Wyle)

Really? Is it really the happiest time of year, or just an illusion of the mind? I'd be inclined to say bullshit, but that'd be a bit harsh. I don't know what the people who wrote that popular holiday song were thinking, but I sure don't feel like it's so happy, or at least the last five years or so or perhaps since the early '90's when commercialism exploded. What is it about the holidays that brings out the worst in people? I mean, c'mon, getting in fights over that last item at Wal-Mart, or camping out two days before a big sale? What happened to the REAL meaning of the holidays and Christmas (as former hockey coach and Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry puts it, "we all love Santa, but Christmas is baby Jesus birthday" as in this clip here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcerBrY816c). Seems like it's gotten lost, just like Thanksgiving. It goes literally from Halloween to Christmas while skipping Thanksgiving, then as soon as Christmas is over, Valentine's Day. Working in retail these last six years has really opened my eyes to how this rat race is, trying to beat out the competition, trying to sell the hottest new product, outdo each other on decorating. It's disgusting! Now, before anyone gets all bent out of shape, I don't hate the holidays entirely. I do love the Christmas music, the parties, the time with extended family (although going to be a hard one with my grandma's passing in September), etc..

However, I do get disgusted with the commercialism of the season, especially when all the retailers start their decorating in October! And then with radio stations playing the Christmas music in early November is just overkill. And with the fact that it's been in the 70's to low 80's these last few Novembers, I'm not in the mood to see Christmas stuff up when it's warm outside (although we couldn't help it in 1999 when it was in the upper 70's-low 80's around Christmas, as it was more like Christmas in SoCal or Florida; more likely to see Santa at the golf course than at the mall!). Oh, and I was also appalled that a local shopping mall had Santa Claus out on Friday. What the hell? What has happened to the simpler times, when Christmas wasn't thought about until the day after Thanksgiving, or the peace that the world should be feeling during the holidays (although it would be nice to see that peace last the whole year around). I wish the world was a simpler place and that we could slow down and enjoy the season and all it has to offer rather than compete with each other. Is it too much to ask? It's all why I just can't help being cynical during the holidays!