Purrfect Holiday Traditions by sylvia rodemeyer The window of time between
Thanksgiving and Christmas is mercilessly brief this year, giving those whotend to procrastinate holiday shopping (hello, me) even less time to finalize last-minute purchases. By giving in to the compacted calendar, I’ve managed to let go the stress of getting or giving and instead am focused this year on enjoying every moment of holiday cheer.
FIVE (Lighthearted) Reasons To Love The (Abridged) Holiday Season
1. NONTRADITIONAL TRADITIONS! Some families look forward to singing a round of Christmas carols. My family looks forward to our annual Christ- mas Eve Nerf gun battle. Only after a victor has been crowned may dinner be served and gifts disembow- eled. My 64-year-old mother is the most vicious of all—don’t mess with her!
2. CHRISTMAS MUSICALS! You won’t catch me
singing along to the 24-hour Christmas carol stations in my car (though my wife’s is perma-tuned to them post-Thanksgiving at the stroke of midnight). But if it’s a local theater production, I apparently can’t be stopped! Whether it’s Irving Berlin’sWhite Christmas in Monrovia at The Taylor Performing Arts Center or Jackie Beat’s O Holy Hell! at The Cavern Club Theater, I’m gladly front-row center.
3. QUEER HOLIDAY PARTIES! A theme party
is the best kind of party. And one which includes eggnog and an excuse to strut your stuff, thrown by clever queer people? Well it makes this femme’s heart flutter. Just a sampling of theme parties on my calendar this season: A Very Brady Christmas Party, Boy Band Christmas, a Winter Is Coming: Game Of Thrones Chanukah and N.Y.E. In Space. Ugly Sweater Parties are just the tip of the iceberg.
4. HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIRS! Not those staid, bor- ing craft fairs, but exciting local craft fairs that always
seem to have the perfect ornament or custom wall décor you thought only existed in your imagination. Patchwork Modern Handmade Festival rolls into Santa Ana on Sunday, December 1. You’ll find me there perusing all the handmade goodness.
5. CAT COSTUMES! My cats are good-natured.
But after four years, no amount of pleading or brib- ing (with copious amounts of catnip and treats) has changed their stance on cat couture. Our annual holiday postcard is the only time I make my two fur balls don holiday sweaters or Santa hats. Those five minutes of feline annoyance (and adorableness) are worth the year of hiding the costumes in the closet.
As my wife and I inagurate our first round of holidays in our new home, I’m sure we’ll build new memories and our own set of oddball traditions that will make our shindig’s unique!
DECEMBER 2013 | RAGE monthly 31
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