So Happy New Year, blah blah blah

Really, I'm not as cynical as the title suggests... or perhaps I am MORE cynical than the title suggests, but not necessarily about the New Year. 2008 should prove to be a marvelous year; that's where the blah blah blah comes in. Or "yadda yadda yadda," whichever utterance you're prone to!

The holidays this past season seemed to me to be very flat and monotonous for the people I encountered. We've long since become creatures of habit where Christmas and New Year's celebrations are concerned, but this year things seemed absolutely robotic. I of course cannot speak for those celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.; perhaps because these holidays are less commercialized, there may still be sincerity in their celebrations!

We had a wonderfully different Christmas this year, because we did something different than the past 35 years. We traveled to Colorado to spend time with Daughter One and Boyfriend One, and Granddog Tag. It was great because we experienced different things, spent great time with BF One's family and got to know them a little better. We ate sushi at a great place in Fort Collins, then had another mini-Christmas celebration with some family and friends at our house when we returned. Son One and Girlfriend One spent time with us, and we got to know our newest Granddog, Minnie.

But when I encountered people, and asked "How was your Christmas?" , I found most of the eyes glazed over and the comments frighteningly similar: "Very nice," "Quiet," "Hectic," "Busy, like everyone else." I really wanted someone--anyone--to grab me by the arm and say, " Come over here and let me tell you what we did!" I wanted to know that they were still awed by the whole ambiance and mystery of the season. Instead, what I heard was mediocrity. Boredom and canned responses were the norm. And as I told my stories of enjoyment, I felt that I was giving way too much information. I resented feeling that way! After all, isn't it the most fun coming back to work to see friends/colleagues and catching up over the virtual water cooler? So many people I encountered this year said that their Christmas/Holiday/break was, well, "Okay."

I'm really sad for us. I don't want to stop seeing Christmas through a child's eyes. So, I continue to say "Happy New Year," well into the second week of 2008, in hopes that someone will look at me sincerely and say, "Yes, let's do that!"