The Morning After

December 26th is a strange day.

Some people celebrated boxing day, and others mark the Feast of Stephen. Some people are just happy the stores are open once again, while other load themselves up with store circulars and presents to return. While it's not Black Friday, The day after Christmas can look a little bit like The Day After once the shoppers finish their appointed roads.

Television viewing over the past several days has been hysterical.  FX decided that playing the animated movie Horton Hears a Who on continuous 24-hour tape loop would fill the world with the holiday spirit.  Boil that dust speck .... with figgy pudding!!  Another network has been having a Star Wars marathon over the past few days.  And tonight there was the awesome Christmas lineup of The Sound of Music or Independence Day.  Nazis or Aliens? World War II or Really really really mean aliens?  "Forgive me Reverend Mother, for I have sinned...I ripped out the heart of the automotive transmision which, frankly, isn't easy to do when you're in Bethlehem!"

Oh, Baby Jesus ... is this how you wanted to be remembered?

I'm somewhat torn between wanting to pick it up, pack it up and put it all away.  Not because I'm tired of it, necessarily, but because it would push me down the path of getting my house and myself organized.  Then again, I hate to take down the tree so quickly after I put it up.  It's a pretty reminder of the holiday, and the cats get a kick out of having some of the great outdoors sitting in the living room.  As usual I'm going to split the difference.  I'm going to pass on Horton and Darth and Maria and bloodthirsty aliens.  But I'm also passing on Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life and Christmas story.  I'm not going to take down my tree today or even tomorrow, but I'm certainly never going to make it to the end of the 12 days of Christmas.  I'm not going shopping, or boxing or feasting with Stephen.

I'm going to hang with the family, do a bit of cleaning, get a little more organized, catch up on sleep, recharge and get myself ready for whatever comes next.  As long as it's not aliens, I think I'm in pretty good shape.