How Much Do I Dislike...

Driving around and shopping during the Holidays? I dislike it VERY much. So much so, that for Thanksgiving I always buy all the food stuff I will need early on (which we did yesterday). Then I don't go out again until at least the Monday after, and if I forgot something...oh well...we'll make do.

Christmas time...forget it, I do almost all of my shopping online and almost don't leave the house the whole month of December, even after Christmas because of the return items people. I will still go out for walks around the neighborhood, family visits and Church...and sometimes I'll go to Hobby Lobby to look at discounted decorations early in the morning and I do ALL of my grocery shopping early in the morning in the middle of the week during this coming month.

I LOVE Thanksgiving and Christmas. They are my favorite holidays! My sister Kileen keeps texting me messages like "Gerald was listening to Christmas music...I love Christmas!" or just simply "I love Christmas!"

There is definitely a joyful spirit around these holidays that makes them feel so special, not to mention that they are centered around family togetherness and, for many of us, Christ. BUT for some reason, as giving and kind and loving as people are at this time of year...when they get on the road, the majority seem ruder, more impatient and more dangerous! Never mind that their lane is blocked and your lane is moving smoothly and nobody is behind you...can they put on their breaks and then move into your lane BEHIND you? NO they almost hit you trying to cut in front of you when there is no room to do so, causing you to slam on your breaks so that they don't have to stop...and you with I don't know, a toddler and a baby in your car to think about. It's like you are no longer human to them, you are a car and car's don't have feelings, or lives to think about.

Or when you go to the store, and I don't know...you are in the isle with a shopping cart or stroller, with your toddler and baby let's say, trying to look and see which item you like more and someone decides to come down the same isle... But it's a tiny isle and if you smoosh over the shopping cart to let them get by, your little boy starts grabbing things off of the shelves and throwing them to the floor. Meanwhile, they have no intention of staying down that isle and looking at stuff themselves...and rudely push forward expecting you to exit the isle so they can get through, all the while shooting you a dirty look and then saying under their breath while rolling their eyes, "excuse you"... Oh I just hate that so much! It ruins my peace and happiness. Maybe I can let this instance go...but then it happens over and over and over and over again. When I see this situation, I simply go around another isle OR I POLITELY SAY "Excuse me, I'm so sorry" and smile at them. But we can't all be so perfect, can we? No. So that is why I don't leave the house during the holidays...So I can preserve the Thanksgiving and Christmas Spirit.