So Damm came home late Thursday night. It was and is wonderful. Both Miniorc and Orclette seemed to bond right away and last night I caught him fussing over Miniorc's cold head (I don't know if anyone but a mother would understand but it was really endearing to me). As for myself ... I think I learned a lot during his absence: mainly how to be independent. I lived with my parents until I got married and then lived with Damm. And during his training not only was I by myself but I was the sole caretaker of not one but two kids. Hooah (or however you spell that. I still can't say it right)! I be Army Strong. And so it's a bit difficult for me on some levels to adjust to not being alone anymore.
On the other hand, having someone to take out the trash so you don't have to: priceless. And it was a HUGE relief to hand over the reins of responsibility. Not all responsibility, you understand, just the bits I didn't like :D And now life can resume. It's really odd looking back and realizing that you were on pause the entire time. And dealing with ALL the emotions that built up during that pause? OMG I AM A FREAKIN BASKETCASE. I'm up and down and all around. Usually I'm very steady with HUGE UPS and very low downs. So the emotional outpouring is slightly distressing for me.
Happy news: the lights in my Christmas tree are now working, thanks to my handy-dandy Army man. It's not decorated yet and normally I wouldn't have put it up til after Thanksgiving but I needed some good cheer those last few weeks of waiting. Apparently though everyone is celebrating Christmas earlier this year. The day of Halloween Walmart was taking down the orange and black and putting up red, white, and green.
Speaking of Christmas ... I found this awesome book entitled "Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas." I figured that if I was going to be a Christmas fanatic I should be a well-informed one. First nugget I read: for those of us who mourn the commercilization of Christmas: that's the ENTIRE reason we're able to celebrate it today. Before it became a children's holiday (I must've never grown up because I still LOVE this holiday) it was a drunken revelry. Women and children were afraid to come out into the streets. Wealthy houses were afraid because when groups of drunken sots showed up asking for their finest ham, they meant it. They would ransack your house if you didn't provide. And the policeforce (in England at least) looked the other way.
But then The Night Before Christmas was written in 1822. And Charles Dickens penned The Christmas Carol in 1843. And Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840 and he imported his German customs which were the beginning of our modern-day traditions which are WAY more family-friendly than the origins of the holiday. And the origins of the holiday? Funny enough the early Christians didn't seem to focus much on the birth of Christ but rather on his resurrection. And dates for celebrating his birth varied from church to church until one of the popes decided to pick a date and he chose December 25th which is nowhere near the actual date of Christ's birth. But he chose it to combat the influence of the winter solstice celebrations. He failed spectacularly: now people partied, got drunk, and then repented afterward (instead of merely partying and then continuing on with their lives).
And there are many more interesting facts but you'd have to read it yourself. I am not yet a history professor. I wonder if one could specialize in holidays? I'm guessing yes. I love my field.
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And Hanukkah. And I know there's another one in there.
On the other hand, having someone to take out the trash so you don't have to: priceless. And it was a HUGE relief to hand over the reins of responsibility. Not all responsibility, you understand, just the bits I didn't like :D And now life can resume. It's really odd looking back and realizing that you were on pause the entire time. And dealing with ALL the emotions that built up during that pause? OMG I AM A FREAKIN BASKETCASE. I'm up and down and all around. Usually I'm very steady with HUGE UPS and very low downs. So the emotional outpouring is slightly distressing for me.
Happy news: the lights in my Christmas tree are now working, thanks to my handy-dandy Army man. It's not decorated yet and normally I wouldn't have put it up til after Thanksgiving but I needed some good cheer those last few weeks of waiting. Apparently though everyone is celebrating Christmas earlier this year. The day of Halloween Walmart was taking down the orange and black and putting up red, white, and green.
Speaking of Christmas ... I found this awesome book entitled "Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas." I figured that if I was going to be a Christmas fanatic I should be a well-informed one. First nugget I read: for those of us who mourn the commercilization of Christmas: that's the ENTIRE reason we're able to celebrate it today. Before it became a children's holiday (I must've never grown up because I still LOVE this holiday) it was a drunken revelry. Women and children were afraid to come out into the streets. Wealthy houses were afraid because when groups of drunken sots showed up asking for their finest ham, they meant it. They would ransack your house if you didn't provide. And the policeforce (in England at least) looked the other way.
But then The Night Before Christmas was written in 1822. And Charles Dickens penned The Christmas Carol in 1843. And Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840 and he imported his German customs which were the beginning of our modern-day traditions which are WAY more family-friendly than the origins of the holiday. And the origins of the holiday? Funny enough the early Christians didn't seem to focus much on the birth of Christ but rather on his resurrection. And dates for celebrating his birth varied from church to church until one of the popes decided to pick a date and he chose December 25th which is nowhere near the actual date of Christ's birth. But he chose it to combat the influence of the winter solstice celebrations. He failed spectacularly: now people partied, got drunk, and then repented afterward (instead of merely partying and then continuing on with their lives).
And there are many more interesting facts but you'd have to read it yourself. I am not yet a history professor. I wonder if one could specialize in holidays? I'm guessing yes. I love my field.
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And Hanukkah. And I know there's another one in there.
Comments
Let's see now, if Thanksgiving is coming up but it's already beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go...should I wish you a Merry Thanksgiving :)