Making A List…

Every year I get closer to the wire at holiday time, but this year has to be my worst. Tomorrow night is the first night of Chanukah, and I still have to decorate the house and wrap all the presents. I'll admit it, I procrastinated, but the holiday snuck up on me. In my defense, going by the non-Jewish calendar, the holiday changes dates each year (yes, it always falls on the same day according to the Jewish calendar, but until the rest of the world uses the Jewish calendar regularly, I'm sticking to my story).

But this leads me to my big question. Can someone please explain to me why, every year, I run across Christmas shoppers in a state of panic, who scream, "OH MY GOD, CHRISTMAS IS ONLY DAYS AWAY AND I'M NOT READY!"? I don't mean the shoppers trying to take advantage of holiday sales. I'm only talking about the ones who are overwhelmed by the fast-approaching holiday. I truly mean no offense here (my husband claims that if I say that, I really do mean offense, but I swear, in this particular case, I'm merely very confused). Christmas falls on the same date every year. Never changes. Ever. It's not like the holiday sneaks up on you. Even if the weather goes all haywire and it doesn't get cold or snow, there are clear hints that it's coming.

Commercials on TV start at least a month beforehand. Stores other than Nordstrom decorate for the holidays in October.

Coupons and fliers with the words "Christmas sales" splayed all over them start arriving even before that. You even get Thanksgiving as a prelude.

So I really don't understand how this holiday can creep up and surprise you. Maybe I'm just observing a few, super-disorganized and forgetful people. Maybe these panicked shoppers are the same ones who forget their spouse's birthday or anniversary. Maybe it's just because the rest of the people have all completed their shopping in September, and the only ones left are the ones who "forget."

I don't know what the answer is, but I don't have time to stick around and find out—I just remembered I forgot the Chanukah candles! [image error]

Happy holidays everyone!