Christmas Coping

So, I took a two-an-a-half year break from blogging? Why? I ran out of things to say and, to be honest, wasn't sure anyone cared whether I had something to say or not. Well, one of those things has changed. I have something to say. I may be saying to myself alone but I'm going to say it.

I don't want, like, or want to support businesses who open on Christmas Day.

My pacifist husband says, "well, you know, if we woke up on Christmas morning and didn't have AA batteries for some toy, you'd be glad Walgreens was open, wouldn't you?" The truth is:  maybe.  But, I'd like to think that the better version of myself would just cope. A notion we, as a society, have forgotten and gotten out of the habit. We want it bigger, better and NOW! Not in a minute, not tomorrow, but right this second. You know that old study some scientists did with little kids and they gave them a choice of having one cookie right that moment or waiting five minutes and getting two cookies and by and large all the kids chose the former option? That's what we are. A society of hungry, greedy, five-year-olds.

If we woke up on Christmas morning and didn't have batteries for the toy du jour, I'd like to think we'd say something like "well, let's play with the 50 other things you got. Or, maybe we walk over to a neighbor's house, exchange pleasantries, and then ask if they had a couple of batteries we would borrow.

I can't tell you in the moment what my reaction would be. I can only tell you what I hope it would be.