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Editorial ----

11-11-02

Scrooge arrives early this year --

SOMEBODY SLAP ME. Is it November already? Christmas decorations have been up in the stores for over a month already. Somehow I find it a bit disconcerting to see ghosts and goblins lined up alongside Santa Claus and his eight tiny reindeer.

Speaking of being confused, I saw the latest thing for little girls to aspire to. There is a series of dolls called Bratz that is vying to replace the Barbie doll. Is this what they are telling young girls they should be like as they grow up? Spoiled overindulged little strumpets? Having two granddaughters myself, this kind of scares me. Just the look of those dolls makes me shudder. Portraying a sense of self that is now being emulated all over the country, they appear to represent everything I find repulsive in young, LA style Valley Girls.

At the risk of sounding like Ebenezer Scrooge, I have to say that I despise the Christmas holiday season. Don't get me wrong. I like Christmas. I just hate the constant over-commercialized bombardment that is due to begin replacing those mud slinging political ads any day now. Buy this! Buy that! Eat this! Eat that! Drink this! Drink that! Enough already! Could you imagine being Jewish and having to put up with all that for two or three months? I would have to barf everyday. At least those of us of the Christian persuasion can at least fool ourselves into thinking we have to suffer through it for the sake of a religious holiday. Phooey!

I like the holidays that just come and go with nary a word and just generate the usual Monday off and a sale flyer or two in the newspaper. However, I do appreciate the gathering of families and friends during the holidays. Those are the memories that last long after the gift sweater has become stretched out and the GI Joe has lost his kung fu grip. I still have fond memories of my Mother making 15 or 20 delicious Christmas cakes, then having an open house for all the neighbors to come and eat cake and have a cup of coffee. I always enjoyed visiting with the Mothers of my friends during the holidays too. Mothers always seemed to be a bit weary from the holidays, but like the rest of us, they enjoyed them while they were here and were relieved to see them go.

To our relief, the Christmas season will come and go, and we will survive. Then, come next year, just like lemmings jumping over a cliff, we will do it all over again. For those of you whose Mother is still around, please take time to enjoy her presence this year. For when they are gone and your children are grown, the holidays will somehow lose their luster and become just a sales event.

By the way, give your Mom a hug for me and tell her I said, "Thanks for being the shining star on the tree!"

- JA

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Previous Rants

 
Anybody who wants to Know Jack Better can check out his earlier rants here:

Lighting up is getting harder in South Florida >>

Living with Yankee neighbors>>

The Bug Got Me and Other Stuff >>

Lauderdale, Attack Show Dogs and Beanie Baby Millionaires >>

Driver Insanity, Cabinets and Typhoid Mary >>

Clean Pot Holders and Shiny Tools >>

What time is Oprah on? >>

Pink Flamingoes are keeping me Awake >>

Don't Fish in Lightning Storms>>

I'm So Excited >>

Conspiracy Theory >>

Crying Towel >>

In With the New(year) >>

Blaming the Holidays >>