Is that all there is?

I fear that our consumerism culture has set us all up for a very depressing winter season. We enter winter looking forward to Christmas, the lights, the glitter, the parties and then when Christmas is over January comes along as a dark, dreary month of muck. 

I worry most about the youngsters, the Christmas decorations and displays come out earlier every year. School supplies have barely left the stores when the Christmas displays come out, squeezed right in there with Halloween and a tiny bit of Thanksgiving. 

So the anticipation of Christmas starts in the midst of high school football and volleyball and gets more and more frenzied through the months of November and December. Christmas trees, which used to go up literally on Christmas Eve, now go up before Thanksgiving. The trappings of Christmas get the expectations of the youngsters elevated much earlier than ever, and because they start much earlier, they are able to go much higher. 

And then? Boom, one day of ripping open packages, throwing wrapping paper around, playing with new toys, admiring new clothes, exclaiming over the newest technology and it is all over. 

I remember a year back in the ages ago when the song, “Is That All There Is?” was popular that I felt very much that way. I must have been nearing my teens. I don’t remember being disappointed with my presents or with the day in general. I just remember thinking at the end of Christmas Day, “Is that all there is? That is the end?” I don’t remember what the weather was like; it is possible that my reaction was based in my SAD and that year was just more overcast than normal. 

But after Christmas, everything is supposed to go back to normal even though everyone has been hyped on emotions, sugar, and treats for a month. Our youngsters are expected to go back to well-behaved, normal kiddos when their emotions are all over the place because of the wrecking ball of sugar, unrealized expectations and too much stimulation. 

I know as an adult there have been times that I had that same, “Is that all there is?” feeling. The worst was our first year in Missoula. Christmas was in the middle of the week, and Rick had to go back to work the day after. What a letdown that was to me. My dad was always home the whole Christmas vacation from school. I guess somewhere in my simple brain, I thought everyone got a two-week vacation at Christmas. I guess it didn’t sink in to my idealistic self that dad was home because he was on layoff and not getting paid. 

I guess what I am saying is we need to soften the letdown somehow. Either shorten the buildup or lengthen the letdown. Maybe some parties after the holidays, some presents that are just because in January just so our emotions don’t just face plant in the yucky January dark. 

Happy New Year everyone.

Chocolate-Banana Milk

3 cups milk

3 medium bananas

½ cup instant chocolate mix

Blend half of the ingredients in blender for 1 minute. Pour into pitcher. Blend second half for 1 minute. Add to pitcher. Serve. For a south of the border touch, add ½ teaspoon cinnamon to chocolate mix.