27 Holidays

Well, my birthday was this weekend.  And, I was true to my word and spent it almost exactly as I said I would.  It was a pretty ordinary day, with just enough special touches to recognize the "occasion."  I went to the gym Saturday morning, like usual.  Then, we went out to eat, and I got my crab legs just like I wanted.  We then picked up ridiculously huge cupcakes, some champagne, and a Redbox movie.  After watching the movie, I did laundry and played my new Harry Potter Wii game (I turned 27, not 12, incidentally...).  My birthday "celebration" ended the next day, on Sunday night, when I went to see The Little Mermaid musical at the local theater with my mom, aunt, and cousin (again, I swear, 27!).  This weekend was just as ordinary as it was "special," and you know what?  I enjoyed it!  I also enjoyed getting carded at the grocery store... which, sadly, hasn't happened in a while.

Some people kind of "apologized" to me for how I was spending my birthday, or thought I was complaining when I explained what I was doing.  I was like, "No, this is actually what I want to do!"  It's the same thing with our anniversary.  Steve told someone at work that we were going to see Harry Potter for our anniversary.  She told him he needed to buy me diamonds.  He had to explain to her that I really wanted to go see Harry Potter and didn't want diamonds.  I don't think she believed him, still.  What is so hard to believe, really?

I think I just have no special attachment to holidays... except Christmas... I love Christmas.  Other holidays?  I don't really care to celebrate anything but Thanksgiving... and I don't care about doing it on Thanksgiving.  I just really like stuffing.  I could live without New Year's, Valentine's Day, Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, and whatever other holidays people celebrate.  I stopped celebrating Halloween the moment my mother agreed I didn't have to go trick-or-treating anymore.  I begged to stay home and hand out candy.  So, in 6th grade, I got my wish.  And, I've never dressed up again since.  I also ask Steve not to get me anything for Valentine's Day.  More than once, my only Valentine's Day request has been to eat at Chipotle.  I'm a romantic, what can I say?

I'd love to say that the reason I don't like holidays is because of the commercialization by corporate America, or that it's against my religion, or some other equally lofty excuse.  Alas, the only thing I can come up with is that I must just not care.  I really don't understand the fun of Halloween, the romance of Valentine's Day, or the concept of celebrating the first day of the year on a calendar we invented.  I am Christian and understand the importance of Easter, but, again, it's just an arbitrary day.  No one is really in agreement as to when the "actual" date was, and I figure I celebrate the Resurrection through my faith every day.  I'm fine with a special church service, but I don't need Easter candy, a card, or a big meal on that particular Sunday.  I am also American and understand the significance of celebrating our independence.  I just think it's kind of become an excuse to barbecue and watch fireworks (both things that I enjoy).  I have no attachment to doing those things on that particular day, except that it's what I've always done.  I feel like I'm celebrating our independence every day simply by doing the things I want to do.  That's what independence is all about, right?  I feel no more patriotic on July 4 than any other day of the year, so why should I have to pretend?

I will say that I dislike "recognition" days, like Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparent's Day, and such.... simply because I really feel like these are made-up holidays.  If someone is important enough for their own "day", you should probably be recognizing them all the time in some way.  I argue that designating a "day" for recognition gives you an excuse to not recognize them the rest of the year; just save it all for the one day.  It's like... "Oh, Mom, I guess I should do nice things for you today because it's Mother's Day."  When it should be more like... "Oh, Mom, I do nice things for you on a regular basis because I love and appreciate you every day."  And, just remember, every holiday we create probably inches the divorce rate up a bit... the more holidays you have, the more you have for a spouse to forget, and for the other spouse to feel unappreciated or resentful.  Also, family gatherings can cause a lot of stress and drama, and bring up deep-rooted, recurring intrafamily issues.  Those all sound like pretty good excuses reasons to dislike "made-up" holidays to me.

I am, however, all for any holiday that causes me to get a day off of work.  It doesn't mean I have to actually celebrate it or like celebrating it... I am still happy those holidays exist.  But, any holiday that the government gets off, but I don't... I hate those holidays.  I get off work = love.  Courthouse closed, but I'm still at work = hate.  These holidays include Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Truman's Birthday, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day.  Yes, I looked these up on the Missouri courts website; so what?  It never fails that I go down to the county courthouse on one of these days to file something, and the stupid thing is closed.  Then, I have wasted a trip and gotten irritated by the fact that there are people who get off work that day.  I tell myself that all of the court employees hate their jobs, and that makes me feel a little better.  Until I realize that means they are enjoying that day off all the more because they hate their jobs.  Then, bitterness resurfaces.  It's a sad day when I am envious of the court employees.  (No offense to the court employees who love their jobs... I'm sure you exist.  Like narwhals... I never knew they were real, either!)

Seriously?  These exist?  I still barely believe it.