Every year I try to keep my expectations very low throughout the holiday season from turkey day to new years. I’ll go to holiday parties and family gatherings when invited, and I enjoy them, but as I become more of a slightly grumpy old man I enjoy the holidays more as a spectator than active participant. When your expectations are low your disappointments are few and the pleasures are more pleasurable when they come as a surprise. You will never experience the holidays as much as you did when you were child. Look at the kid on the bouncy-horse at the end of this video. That’s the kind of simple joy that only a 3-year-old can have and will never be in your my life again. Why try?
Because of my laissez-faire attitude toward the holidays I have been accused by friends and co-workers of being a bit of a Grinch. Once I was given a black Santa hat with the words “humbug!” embroidered on the front because I didn’t display the proper amount of enthusiasm for the season. I don’t hate Christmas and certainly don’t wish to spoil the festivities for anyone else. It’s just that I find that I don’t feel the need to wallow in the yearly round of nostalgia and good cheer that I often find forced and over-done. It also goes on way too long. Also because I’m a devout atheist, the religious aspects of Christmas are wasted on me. However, the glitter and tinsel-covered kitsch-fest that dominates American Christmas can be fun to watch. Last year I was invited by a friend who had been given tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and it was a blast. It’s like evolution has come full circle and the pagan Saturnalia rituals that early Christians adopted to celebrate Jesus’ B’day have returned to their roots as a celebration of greed and avarice. Only it’s a spectacular high-tech 21st century one with a glossy veneer of sentimentality.
This year I was invited to a karaoke party and actually enjoyed singing a few Christmas carols after a couple of beers. The highlight, however was when a friend showed up with his friend Neil Sedaka, who joined in and sang a few his songs. For those of you too young to know, Neal Sedaka is a singer/songwriter who had a string of top 40 hits in the 60’s and wrote a lot of tunes recorded by other pop stars of the era. I don’t look like I’m having much fun in this picture and I refused to where antlers, but it was fun. Really!
Also this year I was invited to participate in SantaCon by some friends. The idea of an all-day bar crawl wearing a Santa suit didn’t hold much appeal for me, but I did join them for brunch and two bars. They’re a great bunch of guys and I appreciate that they will occasionally include this grumpily old man in their festivities. Both bars we stopped at were not crowded and the noise level allowed normal conversation. I was happy to wave goodbye as they headed on to more popular venues in Chelsea.
Next it’s off to see a the cabaret act of drag queen, Hedda Lettuce do her Christmas show of holiday favorites defiled with obscene lyrics.
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