PUTTING HOLIDAYS TO BED

I think there are two kinds of people.

There are those who are excited to be finished with the freneticism (or flip side, loneliness) of the holidays, and are eager to crack open a New Year. For these folks, there’s the perpetual perception that a fresh start awaits — and not soon enough.

It’s like they’re saying: See ya, 2015 — we’ve moved on already.

Then there are those who are really sad to see the holidays over and are dragged into early January with a petulant, cranky stubbornness. This group dreads the holiday house break down and feels sad about getting back to the routine of regular school activites and hectic schedules.

And New Year’s Resolutions?

The first camp is probably on their third or fourth rewrite; the second camp won’t even allow conversations to go there (it’s hard to feel virtuous when you’re elbow-deep in your third Triscuit box in as many days).

My husband is of the first camp.

And I’m so firmly in the second one that I’m Lifetime Team Captain.

Every year we argue about how soon/how late to break down holiday and hit the refresh button (ideally, my husband would get his wish of early a.m Dec. 26th and I’d get mine of mid-January. Ish.).

And every holiday he seems to get antsier earlier about pulling the trigger and I dig in my heels that much deeper when agreeing on a time.

Who can blame me when such cuteness surrounds?

Rudy, I’ve loved you all December but I guess you’re not fitting in with the January plans.

Sweet little vintage ornaments, your once-verdant home is now sitting outside with a Zip-locked check for pick up, so I need to pack you up, too.

Ditto for you, my cheery Pom-Pom bedecked wreath.

You’ve greeted me for weeks at the front door but I’m afraid it’s time to say adieu.

And all of the rest of you, I’m afraid my tyrant of a husband is insisting that your time is up as well.

Every last one of you.

At least you’ll all be together and can keep each other company in the long months ahead.

And so everything holiday was taken down, wrapped up and then placed up in the corner of the attic until next year.

Bummer.

Right after this de-holidaying time each year I get depressed — and it takes me a couple weeks to get my head on straight and find something else I can look forward to.

In this bittersweet transitional time, I know that I need extra TLC in the food compartment.

Even more than usual.

So while some of you are probably on your third day of cleanses, I’m going the opposite way.

I’m doubling down.

Like Lox, Avocado and Cream Cheese on Toasted Pumpernickel kind of double down.

Yes, it was really that good.

Then there were the Sharp Cheddar Biscuits with garlic butter glaze.

Nothing like a little artery-clogging breakfast of champions to get the day started right.

One needs to plow through these early enough in the day that you’ve got the time and energy to make Turkey-Prosciutto meatballs for a Slow-Cooker dinner.

More happiness was in store with yesterday’s giant burrito bowls with ground turkey, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro dressing with a side of Juanita chips.

Sunshine in a bowl.

(I’ve officially decided that avocado is one of the ways that God shows us every day how much s/he loves us).

Each lux, well-thought out treat makes me feel just a wee bit better.

So yes, I’m going there, Camp One — and I don’t want to hear any guff about it.

I’m happy to report that there were a couple other things in the neighborhood that made my mood brighten further (even if only temporarily).

One.

LARP players in Grant Park.

Not familiar with this phenomenon?

I don’t know exactly what the above stands for but one guy I watched told me that LARP is Live Action Role Playing and these serious-as-a-heart-attack players dress up and fight and play and live out whole scenarios.

I’m not pretending I get it, but it’s weird and cool and inexplicable — and it’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch others get into it when you’re just throwing the ball for your dog.

The woman in the pioneer-looking dress above seemed to command a lot of respect on the field (grrl power) and I even saw a guy in full protective chainmail armor ware put down his equipment to chat up a shy young maiden — not your every day sight, to be sure.

Mood-Busting Occurrences Two and Three were both weather related.

You see, no sooner had we come back from Mt. Hood to track down some snow when just a couple days later, the snow came to us.

Hooray!

Yesterday Portland was treated to a couple inches of the most powdery snow — and we took full advantage of it.

We sledded down our driveway.

We watched as nature gave our frozen yogurt an additional topping of snowflakes.

We later warmed up with vanilla steamers and then we realized that we had just enough snow– and daylight– to make a little friend for our front yard.

In doing so, I gained one very important piece of knowledge.

Junior Mints make the most perfect eyes for a snowman (take that, M&M’S).

And speaking of snow, there was one last sight that cracked me up and for a moment made me forget my post-holiday blues.

Set against the backdrop of an unexpectedly icy and snowy walk, these two creatures walked by me.

Two Adult Tiggers.

In boots. And in sunglasses.

And they looked like they were having a ball.

Why would adults have two matching costumes like these on hand? To prepare for National A.A. Milne Day?

No, wait, hold up.

Unless these were something left over from a Halloween party, I don’t think I want to know why adults are walking around in Tigger outfits. If it’s something weird, Winnie the Pooh will be forever marred for me, so let’s just leave it at that, shall we?

So goodbye, 2015. 

And 2016– I’m not yet ready for you, but I’m trying.

Truly.

And so in the days to come, look for me out and about.

To combat downbeat moods, I’ll be foraging for goodies to bring back to loved ones for sharing.

Just like this industrious fella.

And if that means I too get a little wider in the hips, I guess that’s just nature’s way of helping me cope.