It's the most wonderful time of the year, but...
It's bat crap crazy.
As I'm writing this, I had the heart attack inducing realization that we have less than a week before Christmas is here.
What the holly jolly heck?! How in the name of Rudolph did that happen?
Every evening is full, lists of Christmas goodies to be made are dancing in my head, and present shipping deadlines are looming.
Groceries need to be bought, cards need to be addressed, gifts need to found and wrapped, and the box stores are one huge mass of humanity and chaos.
Honestly, it's enough to turn anyone into a Grinch.
(If I have hear Santa, Baby or Baby It's Cold Outside one more time, I may turn green myself.)
The Kid-lets are screaming.
Your tree won't stand straight.
The house decor looks so far from the Pinterest perfect image you had in your mind, you can't decide whether to laugh or cry.
That stupid Elf hasn't moved from his perch in a week, and you're praying that the kids don't notice.
Your spouse is hopeless when it comes to deciding what gifts to buy his parents.
Somebody just stole the last package of Oreos that you needed for your truffles right from under your nose.
The cashier is telling you that the coupon you want use on the Avengers playset that your son is dying for isn't valid (which it clearly is!).
It's enough to make anyone want to pitch a tinsel throwing fit!
And even worse the cashier just had the audacity to tell you Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas!! Really?! Doesn't he know that it's Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays???!!!!
How dare he?!
That's it!!
You've had it!! This is the last straw!!
You open your mouth to let out a verbal barrage flay that fake, plastered on smile off of the cashier's face.
STOP. Re-evaluate. Take a deep breath. Say a quick prayer for patience.
Whatever it takes to stop that poison from leaving your mouth.
Do you really want to be one of those customers? You know the kind I'm talking about. Don't deny it.
Don't be the Holiday Customer that makes anyone in retail/customer service dread coming into work from November 1 - January 6.
The holidays are stressful time for everyone. Every. One.
Please don't ruin the day of that poor girl at Starbucks counter by snarking at them because their cups are just plain red, and don't have snowflakes on them.
I didn't realize that Starbucks is the be all end all when it comes to Christmas.
Personally, I could care less. The only problem I have with Starbucks is that I think their coffee tastes burnt, and is highly overrated. (Sorry, Starbucks. It's how I feel).
If you truly have a problem, write a polite, respectful letter to Starbucks HQ. Don't take it out on an innocent barista. Don't bring it up. Just order your coffee, and move along.
Please don't lecture the poor kid checking you out at Target about how you're going to tell him "Merry Christmas even if it is politically incorrect!"
1. Do you realize how many times he's heard that today?
2. He has to say Happy Holidays because that's what corporate tells him to say, and there is nothing he can do to change it.
3. Please don't take to Facebook to tell the world how "Corporate America can't stop YOU from saying Merry Christmas because I just told the cashier at Target!! So stick that up your corncob pipe!" Really? That's just tacky.
4. Just smile, say thank you, say your Season's Greetings, and leave. It's quite simple.
Honestly, I couldn't give a flying fig if someone told me Happy Hanukkah, or Happy Kwanzaa. I'll wish them the same and tell them Merry Christmas to boot.
Look. I get it.
Having to feel like you're tiptoeing on "politically correct eggshells" all the time is exhausting!
But let's not forget that we're all forging through this holiday season together.
I'm stressed. You're stressed. We're all stressed.
Guys, let's just resolve to act like human beings around each other this time of year and all the other time of the year. It's as simple as thinking about the other person more than yourself.
Don't forget that this is the time of year that those of us who call ourselves Christians are celebrating the birth of a baby who was, is, and always will be The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) not the Prince of Strife, Stress, and Contention.
My fellow Christians, how about we show it?
A little kindness goes so much farther than the two seconds it took to give someone a genuine smile (personally, I need this reminder every day, sometimes, every hour).
And best of all, I believe it blesses my Heavenly Father's heart when He sees His kids treating each other decently.
Together we can do it.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!
