Christmas 2021 Thoughts

Before sitting down on my laptop in the dining room, I looked out through the small window to my left.  It is cloudy; I don't see the sun penetrating through at all.  The steam is coming up and through my neighbors' chimney, so it is cold.  (Just checked: 20 degrees as I type this.)  This is a perfect winter/Christmas Day.  I should appreciate it.

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I have resumed my Christmas Eve tradition of going to South Minneapolis to partake in Scotch and Irish whiskey.  Driving home, I wanted to note how quiet it was on the road, but that was hard to tell.  First of all, I don't remember how traffic was like in previous Christmas Eves/Days, probably because I didn't make a point of noting it.  Saying that, I think it was as quiet as it would be on a late weeknight, and quieter than a weekend night.  Now, last night was a Friday night, so compared to a usual Friday night, last night was extremely quiet.

Unfortunately, there were a couple pricks who took advantage of the relatively quiet highway and drove like maniacs.  I believe what they said was true: The beginning of the pandemic emboldened some people into driving faster and more recklessly because there were fewer drivers out on the roads, and they haven't stopped even after the worldwide lockdown was lifted.  Hrmph.

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I may have spoken about this before, but even if I have, I'll say it again.  Ever since, oh, Black Friday, I have kind of anticipated/girded myself over the coming of Christmas.  But when I sat down to my, oh, second dram of whiskey, seeing the last minutes of Christmas Eve melt away, I was already looking past Christmas to the last week of the year, New Year's, and then, well, what is coming in 2022.  I don't want to call Christmas an "obstacle"; I really am enjoying waking up when I want, doing what I want, and not opening up the door even one time.  But this is The Most Important Holiday Of The Year, and yet once the clock struck midnight, and really even at the 11 o'clock hour of Christmas Eve, I felt as though Christmas Day was already over.  I kind of feel it even now; listening to the holiday songs, for example, seem kind of out of place, even though it is Christmas Day.  Maybe Christmas Eve is more important that Christmas Day -- maybe?

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I'll select a song later tonight.  Hope it won't feel too late.  But I am going to make spaghetti now.

Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas, everyone.