I have to say, this is my favorite time of year. It always has been. The weather is cooling down, it gets dark earlier (For me, there is one down side to that. There is one short stretch of highway wherein the sun shines right in my face during my morning commute, but I'm only blinded for a few seconds.) and the anticipation of Thanksgiving and Christmas is beginning to build. This is also the time of year I begin to play Christmas music. Yeah, I know some say you can't play Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. I say, once the temperature drops into the 40s, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is fair game.
I also love Christmas movies, especially on the Hallmark Channel. (Don't judge me!) This time last year, when I was in my "recliner confinement," I became quite an expert on Hallmark Christmas movies. I probably could even write my own script (with myself in the lead role, of course).
In one Christmas movie, I remember a youngster attempting to explain to an adult how Santa can visit so many kids' houses in one night. He tells the adult that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and that would certainly cut down on the workload for the "Big Guy." I thought of something else that surely makes his Christmas Eve work rounds much lighter. That is, Santa only visit the houses of the "nice" people. That certainly eliminates a lot of stops for him. Considering the results of our most recent election, I figure roughly half of the houses across the country can easily be skipped. There are others that Santa and his reindeer team can simply fly over. That guy driving slow in the fast lane on the interstate, skip him. That lady with more than 10 items in her shopping buggy standing in the express lane at the grocery store, no Santa for her. To the person parked in the handicapped space with no physical impediment (mental handicaps don't count), don't expect much in your stocking this year. That fellow who stands at the counter of what is supposed to be a fast food eating establishment spending 15 minutes trying to decide what he wants on his hamburger (Come on guy, you eat the same toppings every time you eat a burger, and have for the last 50 years! It ain't a difficult decision.), he won't hear the pitter-patter of reindeer hooves on his roof. The lady who just loaded 85 packs of toilet paper into her shopping buggy for a household consisting of only three butts, shouldn't expect Santa to bring her butt anything. And the guy you let in front of you in traffic who doesn't have the courtesy to give you that "thank you" wave? A courtesy wave is all he'll get from Santa as he flies by.
I know that those of you who show up for our weekly visits have nothing to worry about. I have a good idea that y'all make up a large portion of Santa's "Nice List." The next time I see Santa, I'll remind him of that. In the mean time, y'all have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving and a great start to your holiday season, here on the "sunny side."