Thanks for (not) consuming

I know, I know...I've been a bad blogger lately.  I've been a bad tweeter, facebooker, emailer, and general social butterfly.  So very sorry readers.  Tis the season of holiday hectic life and work picking up the pace from slow days of counseling junior high students to paperwork piles so high I can barely see the wee ones when they're sitting in front of me.

Side note-if I ever do truly go missing between now and June-search my office.  I am certain I will have fallen prey to one of these obscene stacks of career center applications, special needs documentations, scheduling materials, etc. 



Oh, the joys

 Anyhoo...happy Thanksgiving week everyone! May I just say, this is my favorite of the holidays?  Because it is.  We are given an excuse to devour as many calories as humanely possible in a single sitting, then graze the remainder of the day, watch football, drink cocktails, wine, or beer, and generally make merry with the family.  No strings attached.  No gifts to purchase.  No major decorations to hang.  Just food, family and fun.  I'm fortunate enough to celebrate Thanksgiving twice-this Thursday and again on Sunday.  Each with its own unique traditions and merriment.  One family we add our Ukrainian twist with homemade perogies to the offerings the other has invented the culinary delight known as "stuff puppies" (stuffing thrown into the deep fryer after the bird comes out).  I am beside myself with the cravings for both celebrations already.

What I am irritated about though, and what prompted me to carve a few moments out of my day, is all this Black Friday madness I'm pelted with every which way this year.  Is it just me, or does this year seem worse than ever?  I read that some stores are opening on Thanksgiving?  Whaaat? Aren't we all supposed to be lounging on the couches of our families, bellies full, buttons taken out one, napping on shoulders and snoring lightly?  The fact that there will be people rushing their feasting and togetherness to go and shop just makes me all grinchy.  And the fact that those places (which I refuse to even name) have employees who will have to cut short their own celebrations to report for work.  Ugh.  No sale, no deal, no amount of consumerism is worth this.  What part of that shopping experience on Black Friday is even enjoyable?  No thanks.  I will not partake.  My family and holiday is more valuable than any deeply discounted piece of junk that I could line up in the cold to buy. 

Because this, this is NOT pleasant.

I plan to spend my Friday (you know, the day after Thanksgiving) putting up all of our holiday decorations.  Eating leftovers from my mom's house in a form unrecognizable from the day before.  Staying in pajamas.  Getting ready for the second Thanksgiving feast.  There will be no shopping, no consumerism going on.  This does not mean I won't do holiday shopping at all.  But most of mine will be through local merchants, online shopping (hooray for Etsy!), putting together gift baskets of homemade goodies, and utilizing price comparison apps on my smart phone (Red Line is our favorite).  I refuse to stress over this.  And absolutely refuse to allow consumerism to drive a peaceful holiday season with my family.