Seasonal Conditions...tinsel ahead

I am one of those people who have avoided the holidays for awhile.
It's too much consumerism, stress, sugar, brouhaha over nothing and blatant commercialism has driven me beyond the pale. Yeah? You too? No big news, huh?

Ok, so I did a lot of things to avoid the Thanks/Christmas/New Year's grip-mostly go away. Or go far far away, where they don't celebrate such things. But this year, I have stopped trying to 'beat the holidays' (holidaze), but still, I'm not much of a joiner. I define myself as a 'non-conformist', you could also say, 'non-joiner'. I have my groups and tendencies: yoga, knitting, clay, art/design, craft, small sub-sections of callings. That is how I will work through the holidays.....kinesthetically. If I put the winter darkness, tinsel, roving mobs addicted to shopping, over and over and overplayed seasonal music, in terms of sensory overload, enhancement  and deprivation, I think I can make it. I can take a breath and make a choice to stay centered, in the 'zone' or find a way to get back to some sense of middle ground when on the precipice.

So, there is not much daylight, consider candles, bright (colored) lights, or a sense of mystery. It's colder, knit/wear more wool, entertain at home (and maybe imbibe more alcohol). I can't begin to take on the whole Martha Stewart idea of decorating, but a tree, a small tree is a possibility. Don't want to do the 'Christmas Party' (note capital letters), it's too competitive and I'm not really Christian (or Jewish either, it's a grey area that has been a source of dismay for others and annoyance for me). But I do believe we are all God's children and to celebrate a sense of light or a birth of a child in the middle of the darkest days of the year, let's go for it! (that would be considered holiday cheer)

Keep your spirits up! God knows (as do some of us humans) the world is going to hell in a hand basket (cute phrase for cataclysmic disaster on all fronts) we all only have ourselves and each other, be nice. At least for a little while, use the excuse of the holidays to be pleasant. Do that, 'do unto others' thing. We all know we use the excuse of the holidays to get stressed. Now turn that around and go be a mensch.
Peace-out.