Happy Holidays

It's that time of year again, the holidays. Where TV adds make us feel guilty if we do not have the perfect family, or that all we need to do is go buy things to make our holidays perfect. I never used to pay any attention to ads or TV before. I was too busy living my life and getting ready for the said holidays. A few years ago as I was pretty much bedridden and watching quite a lot of TV, I began to pay attention to those ads. The majority are family oriented. Everybody gets together with their families for all the holidays. Scenes show women in huge kitchens cooking perfect dinners while husbands and kids stand beside the blazing fireplace with a festive tree laden with christmas presents. As I watched these I began to get angry. I began to wonder how many people did not have these perfect family get togethers. My bet would be quite a lot.

Since I have gotten sick, and with my mothers bad health, getting together for holidays is often not possible. And if it is, it resembles nothing like the holidays we used to have. I had many of those perfect holidays. I was one of the lucky ones that have those festive filled traditions. Sadly with no children to pass them down too. I tried once to share them with my inlaws and my husbands words to me as we waved goodbye were "I will never do that to you again!" So you can imagine what a fun filled week that was.

I have completely given up on having those magical holidays and would settle for just being able to get together without a crisis. If it was true that suicide rates went up during the holidays(which it is not), I could seriously understand why. Those adds makes you think you are the only ones who will not be surrounded by family and friends. They have made me so sad I now turn them off. In fact the only adds that make me more upset are those for the save the animals now organization. I'll save my rant on them for another blog. I know the holidays are about family and friends, but I wish the advertisers would be sensitive to the fact that not everyone is going to have a crowded calendar and that many are going to be alone.

So for those of you who are blessed to have a full house, or if you are one who received many invitations and are trying to figure out how many meals you can eat in one day, be grateful. Not only be grateful, but be sensitive to those around you who have no plans or who are unable to go anywhere. When the rest of you are gushing around the water cooler about all your holiday plans, remember that there are people that have no plans. People who will be doing their best to pretend that it's just another day.

Forgive me that this is not your typical count your blessings, list what you have to be thankful for post. I figure I try and look at the glass as half full most of the time so I deserve a little pity party, even if it is on Thanksgiving. I'm sure I'd feel better if I didn't have to watch those insipid adds.