Let's Talk About...Riding the Holiday Wave

Ok. Fall has arrived. Or, as I like to say, "autumn" has arrived. What happened to that word "autumn?" It's a pretty word for a pretty time of year without the negative implications of "fall." "Fall" sounds a bit dangerous, don't you think? I don't need reminders of the icy roads ahead.

Fun fact: The autumnal equinox occurred on Sept. 23 and marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The sun is directly above the equator on the equinox.

That is all well and good from a scientific astrological perspective, but we all know what autumn (or fall) really means -- the days are getting shorter and colder and...here it comes...the holidays are fast approaching in rolling waves. Brace yourself.

Like the surf, you see the tide turn and the waves thundering toward you in the distance. They always seem to arrive sooner than you think.. And, like the surf, you prepare yourself for that first wave, but it still knocks you off your feet. You come up for air and barely grab a breath before the next wave breaks right on your head and the riptide takes you further from the shore. And that happens over and over.

And somehow it all seems to start earlier every year.

Yes, I am looking at you, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's! And somehow a birthday manages to join the mix just to keep you off balance.

First up is Halloween. I remember getting amped for Halloween every year. I spent hours thinking about costumes, decorations, and our school's haunted house all while eating candy. I made costumes. We picked out pumpkins. Then we would carve new pumpkins when the first batch went bad, buy more candy, and find those cute Halloween bags. The day arrives and I appropriately dress myself as a dead bride or something similar, make sure everyone is well fed before the candy fest and head out. The kids are stoked. You are exhausted.

You barely have time to take down the spiderwebs, skulls, and ghouls scattered through the house when...oops, here comes the next wave: Thanksgiving dinner for 20. Of course, that also means trips to the airport, fresh sheets and towels, and food for not just one evening but for at least five days. The dried corn cobs, cornucopia, scarecrows, and various gourds decorate the table, recipes are unearthed, and the turkey is carved.

And all the while, Christmas, the Daddy of them all, looms up ahead. The decorations for Thanksgiving are quickly replaced with a tree, ornaments, garlands, lights, and carols to help you ride that mega Christmas wave.

Heading down that pike, cookies are made, parties are planned, Santa hats sit at jaunty angles, wrapped gifts wait under the tree, and suddenly, BOOM, the wave crests, Christmas arrives, and all your secret Santa plans come to fruition. Christmas night is usually a wipeout.

And just when you think you might get your normal life back and your house in order, you remember New Year's is only a week away. Do we have plans? Do we even want plans?

So you gear up for one more holiday wave, invite friends over, plan more food and games to get you at least to a "New York New Year's," fire up the Auld Lang Syne, grab a breath and dive back in.

January 2 starts looking pretty good at this juncture. Getting your life, home, and schedule back on track looks pretty inviting. But you shredded it. And it was a sweet ride. And with calmer waters on the horizon and the vernal equinox ahead, you realize life is short, so ride the wave as long as you can.