My love/hate relationship with holidays

Growing up, I was the kid excited about the upcoming holidays.

It wasn’t always the presents, though that was certainly a factor. After all, I was a child. I remember the Sears Christmas catalog coming in the mail. I would dog-ear pages and make sure Santa knew that I was good, so the odds of me getting something for Christmas favored me.

Often, it was traveling to visit family that made the holidays special.

I looked forward to our trips from Maryland to New Jersey to visit relatives around major holidays.  One relative had a New Years’ Eve Party tradition that attracted 25 to 30 cousins, aunts, uncles and when she was still alive, my Grandmother.

Fast-forwarding 50 years, in some ways, I am still that excited child.

I’m looking forward to visiting family for Thanksgiving. But now, instead of a week to travel spend time and then return home, everything has sped up. Retail is all about the holidays and as a manager, that makes it my business to be there. Hence the hate (with a dose of “I understand because that is what I signed up for”) part and a jaded view, at times, of holidays.

Tomorrow morning, we are up at 4 AM, drive to the airport and arrive in Boston at 9 AM.

The following morning (that’s 24 hours) we hop a plane back home to Virginia. The marvels of our 21^st Century travel. But it is also the curse of my occupation. I see Halloween in August, and Christmas begins in September. Even now, Memorial Day is just around the corner.

So, I will travel because I can.

READ: Celebrating the little victories in my life

 I still love sharing holidays with family. And making the effort to get there is part of the adventure. I can’t wait to share in the traditions of our Thanksgiving meal together.

Now if I can only get the TSA to allow me to carry a pumpkin pie on the plane.