Andy Chase

Christmas snuck up on us this year; just 10 days ago I was commenting that December has felt more like October, and I was just getting around to enjoying a delayed Autumn.

From an economic standpoint, Christmas was by necessity going to be a subdued affair anyway; not that it's all about buying all those presents or anything... but our holiday last year was a good deal jollier what with me having started my new job, the anticipation of it being our last Christmas in Los Angeles, and a friend staying with us from out of town.

This year things just kind of fizzled; I never did get around to putting up the tree, and by the time my long weekend rolled around it didn't seem worth the effort to assemble the tree (yes, we have a fake one despite our proximity to a tree lot) and decorate it only to take it down within the same week.

Fortunately, I had some last-minute shopping to do for Kim, and today I took it upon myself to brave the last-minute crowds.

Actually, it wasn't that bad because I knew exactly what I was looking for - I counted myself lucky not to be one of the hundreds of people I saw with that frantic, "Oh shit, somebody else already gave her Chicken Soup For The Soul!" look on their faces. I made a photo trip out of it, stopping on my way out to Canoga Park (God bless bordersstores.com's store inventory service) to new photos of the Van Nuys Muffler Man, some shots of the Canoga Park Bowl sign, and a couple of other locations along the way. With some choice Christmas music playing on the car stereo, I began to get into a properly festive mood. By the time I got home and began to wrap presents, things felt right again. Like last year, we exchanged gifts tonight as opposed to Christmas morning... not the way we always did it in my family, but given the absence of a tree to put gifts under and the lack of immediate family around, a day early is OK.

Tomorrow we'll be having dinner with our neighbors Jen & Larry, and possibly a game of Simpsons Edition Clue. And to think, I have Boxing Day off too! I haven't taken this many days off since I was unemployed earlier this spring.

I've never been one to let the holidays stress me out or depress me, which was why this year was so upsetting to me... I was stressed out and depressed because of all the changes that have happened since last year. A small part of me still is; you can't turn that stuff off like a light switch. But I'm not going to be crying into my eggnog :)

As for the abject absence of references to the true meaning of Christmas, I got all of that I could stomach from the beloved Rankin/Bass specials they were running on the ABC Family Channel tonight. (Since when does ABC own the Family Channel? Didn't Fox just buy it last year?). And according to Rankin/Bass, the true meaning of Christmas is making sure Santa makes his annual run so that we all get presents. No mentions anywhere about that whole birth of the Savior thing. While that really is the true meaning behind Christmas, the holiday as I've grown up with it has almost been more about a general celebration of good will towards other people, spending time with your family, and having made it through another year.

Wow, that's some pretty syrupy stuff. Good night, Merry Christmas, etc...