Monday
Nov082010
'Tis The Season To Be Jolly
Monday, November 8, 2010 at 5:19AM
Some say it's the most wonderful time of the year. I tend to agree with them. However I do think it arrives into our mindset earlier than it should. For example, shops across the US- and I hear in the UK too- cleared out their Halloween sections on the night of the 31st in order to make way for the influx of all things Christmas and Hanukkah related. Time to get browsing in the stores, wandering the aisles to decide what decorations suit your home, and calculating how much this season is going to cost you. For some of the people I know, the season isn't that jolly after all, having just lost their jobs due to the recent electoral upset. More on that later.
I do not if the holiday adverts have begun to air yet. I do know that Amazon is already advertising all it's holiday music though! And also that I received about half a dozen Christmas magazines with the paper this morning. Ah, the joys of looking through Christmas catalogues. I used to love browsing through all the toy and gift magazines, circling all the different things I would like to have. Care-free. I was very fortunate to always get a ton of wonderful presents every year, all of which brought hours of pleasure, entertainment, and often (but not always) practical use.
Speaking of holidays, I still need to blog on the event of Halloween. I already mentioned how important a holiday it is here in the US. Lots of costumes to behold throughout the weekend! I will hopefully add some pictures too.
Perhaps one of the only 'holidays' / celebratory occasions which the English celebrate and America does not is Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes Night. Remember, remember the 5th of November! Gunpowder, Treason and Plot! Of course, why would the US celebrate the day in which the English stopped the blowing up of King James I and Parliament. Although historically speaking, the decades that followed the gunpowder plot saw the gradual colonisation of the US, so it would be plausible to assume colonists, still loyal to England, would also celebrate the 5th November. And thus possible still that, though the meaning of the day may have been lost over time, the 5th was still celebrated in the US.
Alas it is not, probably because Bonfire Night is a relatively recent celebration in the UK, perhaps resurrecting the plot a hundred or so years ago. I could not say for sure. I know that nothing beats a great big bonfire, with a guy on top to celebrate the capture of Guy Fawkes. (Poor guy, he was really just a footsoldier). And the treacle toffee, a nice big stew, and maybe some parkin cake. And of course the fireworks.
Nothing beats a great fireworks show. There is a lot of fun setting your own rockets off at the end of the garden, but they certainly are expensive to buy. Nothing can possibly top an organized fireworks display... particularly those put on by the master.. Disney.
The big fireworks show in the US is 4th July. Yet I suppose they must remain pretty popular throughout the year, seeing as how they have Firework warehouses located at various points along the interstate! Sounds like a fun place to look around, but I can't help feeling like these places must do very limited business. Until today, and the frat house down the street letting of fireworks, I hadn't heard any really since I have been here.
Back to studying for the GRE now. Soon I will have a little freedom, and time for more blog posts. Until then, I think I'll listen to some holiday music... or is it still too early for that?
I do not if the holiday adverts have begun to air yet. I do know that Amazon is already advertising all it's holiday music though! And also that I received about half a dozen Christmas magazines with the paper this morning. Ah, the joys of looking through Christmas catalogues. I used to love browsing through all the toy and gift magazines, circling all the different things I would like to have. Care-free. I was very fortunate to always get a ton of wonderful presents every year, all of which brought hours of pleasure, entertainment, and often (but not always) practical use.
Speaking of holidays, I still need to blog on the event of Halloween. I already mentioned how important a holiday it is here in the US. Lots of costumes to behold throughout the weekend! I will hopefully add some pictures too.
Perhaps one of the only 'holidays' / celebratory occasions which the English celebrate and America does not is Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes Night. Remember, remember the 5th of November! Gunpowder, Treason and Plot! Of course, why would the US celebrate the day in which the English stopped the blowing up of King James I and Parliament. Although historically speaking, the decades that followed the gunpowder plot saw the gradual colonisation of the US, so it would be plausible to assume colonists, still loyal to England, would also celebrate the 5th November. And thus possible still that, though the meaning of the day may have been lost over time, the 5th was still celebrated in the US.
Alas it is not, probably because Bonfire Night is a relatively recent celebration in the UK, perhaps resurrecting the plot a hundred or so years ago. I could not say for sure. I know that nothing beats a great big bonfire, with a guy on top to celebrate the capture of Guy Fawkes. (Poor guy, he was really just a footsoldier). And the treacle toffee, a nice big stew, and maybe some parkin cake. And of course the fireworks.
Nothing beats a great fireworks show. There is a lot of fun setting your own rockets off at the end of the garden, but they certainly are expensive to buy. Nothing can possibly top an organized fireworks display... particularly those put on by the master.. Disney.
The big fireworks show in the US is 4th July. Yet I suppose they must remain pretty popular throughout the year, seeing as how they have Firework warehouses located at various points along the interstate! Sounds like a fun place to look around, but I can't help feeling like these places must do very limited business. Until today, and the frat house down the street letting of fireworks, I hadn't heard any really since I have been here.
Back to studying for the GRE now. Soon I will have a little freedom, and time for more blog posts. Until then, I think I'll listen to some holiday music... or is it still too early for that?
Reader Comments (2)
It is indeed too early. Why do we always need to be celebrating or preparing for something? Why can't people just relax, take in their surroundings and enjoy things as they are?
People always complain, asking "where did the time go?" I've always felt the answer to this is simple: Time stops for no one, so if you yourself never stop, life will simply be a blur. Tolstoy said it best, "In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you."
Maybe it keeps people sane; gives them hope and happiness; gives them something to look forward to. I guess it's a nice thing for some people, one nice thing among a life that isn't turning out so great, particularly with the economy as it is.
But I whole heartedly agree with you. People need to stop and take the time to look around. Saviour the moment, for once its gone, its gone. You won't have good memories, unless you take the time to stop and admire the situation you are in.
Having said that, I too find myself complaining about how time flies far too often. Not that it hasn't been time enjoyed. As one of my friends always you to say: Time enjoyed is never time wasted.
Thanks for your insight!