last picture show, 2007
Did I mention that I start in early September? Very type-A. But with this economy in the crapper, and our own little family economy in the crapper as well, I thought this would be a good year to just relax and not worry about stuff. I would not send out cards. I would limit gifts to small children and pets. No tree. No menorah. Ok, the last one was just out of fairness. No decorations. Pretty much I wished to just ignore the insanity.
Mostly I wanted to have January 20th hurry up and get here, so in my pitiful, but supremely logical world, it seemed to make sense. If the holidays just passed on by without a glance, it would be January. But alas, something happened. People sent us cards and I felt guilty. People made decorated cookies and I felt guilty.
Santa has been seeing children since after Halloween when they didn't set that up until right before Thanksgiving. Now that seemed pathetic, but people were very much into it. For the first time ever, they limited the- pets-visiting-Santa slot to 2 measley hours twice during the whole season. Every year before this Lulu, and then Lulu and Phoebe and I would pack up and go see Santa any time we wanted.
The excuse? Dander. Sure, I can get that some kids are allergic (hello Malia), but dander is transferred just by people contact as well. You know? Those people who own pets and touch other people. So the policy anew said that those two times were the only time Santa could touch the pets. I guess they deep cleaned Santa afterward? Who knows.
But they did say we could come anytime but with a couple of caveats. First, the pet cannot sit on the bench. And two, Santa cannot touch the pet for fear of
Did I mention that this is an outdoor shopping center near Stanford where the pets are were welcome everywhere and on any given day there are hundreds of dogs of all sizes wandering around shopping? So if dander is an issue, your kid will have a problem most anywhere in the place. Seems to me that someone threatened a law suit. It is just that kind of place. Used to be a marvelous place with independent shops with interesting merchandise you could not find anywhere else. But it was purchased recently by a cookie cutter mall operator and the place now houses boring high end crap that you can find everywhere. And I mean everywhere. But that is another post.
So here we are with our 2008 picture frame ready for the annual Lulu and Phoebe Santa meet-up and it isn't going to happen. Too bad. It was fun while it lasted. Seems to me that lots of things are going away that were fun while they lasted.
I really digress. I thought that leaving Christmas alone and just doing what most people do, waiting until the last week or so to really revel in it would be fun. It's not. The dates arelong gone for a visit with Santa. The stores only have crap left, or they started with crap and have crappier stuff now.
Pottery Barn actually called me the other day to leave a message to tell me about some stupid sale. I couldn't even get them to call last year when I wanted them to find something I actually wanted to buy from them. Now they call when I don't feel like shopping? Other places call or email once or twice a day telling me about these great sales happening now that used to happen after the holiday. That is not good news. That is just plain sad. And desperate.
I got talked into a tree. I got talked into the annual caramel popcorn with almonds. I got talked into Christmas dinner.
Do you think it might be pushing it a little bit to wish for a Santa who will smile with my muses and let me take a photo?
Comments
i've done nothing.
i envy you.
i envy you.
I'm pudgy, loan me a beard and a suit.
quin. I envy you! doing nothing sounds great.
hyblaean - thanks!
hyblaean - thanks!
that picture is so cute. i am sorry the damn good of the few outweighed the good of the many, again.
thing is, with peanut butter and such i can understand - bc some people could perish from their peanut butter allergy.
but aint no one ever died from an extreme dander allergy.
BOGUS! id write a letter, if i were you.
thing is, with peanut butter and such i can understand - bc some people could perish from their peanut butter allergy.
but aint no one ever died from an extreme dander allergy.
BOGUS! id write a letter, if i were you.
Thanks Jane - totally agree. I even understand the "overdone" parent, but seriously - dander, outside? Did I mention the whole Santa deal is outside?
btw, I love your dog.
btw, I love your dog.
No comments:
Post a Comment