Life of the Lintee Bean

I’m not mailing out Christmas cards and a letter this year. I know I say that every year, but really I’m not doing it this year! I write a column every other week, and I write additional notes in my blog. People are up-to-date with my life story, in fact, they’re probably sick of hearing from me.

Still, I feel a twinge of guilt as cards and letters arrive in my mailbox. I love seeing the notes and photos. I adore hearing what people have done last year, or just hearing a simple “Happy holidays” greeting.  I feel bad that I’m not reciprocating.

I remind myself of all my excuses for not sending out my own card and letter. Christmas cards cost money. (Well, I wouldn’t have to buy cards, I could just send notes.) Postage costs money (though I have plenty of stamps left over from last year). It takes time.  (I have time.)

The guilt continues.

I worry that people will think they “fell off” my holiday card list. No one “fell off”. I would hate anyone to think I sent cards to others, but didn’t include them. Maybe they’ll think their greeting got lost in the mail. Maybe.

I don’t even really like the holidays. Christmas has become so commercialized. The decorations and music are in the shops before Thanksgiving now.  The card and gift shop near work had their Christmas decorations up before Halloween! I was shopping at a department store in November and they were playing Christmas music. I feel like other holidays are getting crowded out over to make more room for Christmas. We have a huge void from January through May, why don’t we move Christmas to March? Everyone’s busy with end-of-year projects and whatnot in December, why do we have to smash Christmas in there as well? Besides, the weather would be more likely to cooperate if Christmas wasn’t in winter.

I do enjoy seeing the other houses decorated to the hilt with lights and decorations. I put up a wreath and a couple bows on the front stairs just so I’m not considered a total Scrooge.  I also don’t want to give any neighborhood kids any incentive to decorate my house themselves.

I don’t give many gifts, though I did crochet a few things for people I thought might like them.  It’s really not that I hate giving gifts.  I actually LIKE giving gifts.  It’s fun if I happen upon something I think someone I know will really enjoy.  I especially enjoy surprising someone with a gift.  I don’t, however, like feeling obligated to give a gift, or to go searching for something someone might like, particularly when they might not like it, and it may just be another thing they don’t need or want that adds clutter to their life.

In spite of all my negativity and the urge to say “bah humbug, I do, wish all of you VERY happy holidays and the very best in 2011.

Submitted for publication in the Greeley Citizen

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