'Twas the month of December

For as long as I can remember, I've disliked December.
There’s never been anything good about this month- it’s always been the time of the year when people display the worst of their character.

Something about high strung adults rushing about, oblivious to their screaming children left in their wake, has always left an unpleasant taste in my mouth. I worry I may eventually tire of bending over to pick up dropped toys and running them over to frantic parents and screaming kids. The gesture of swiping the soiled object for my hand and throwing it into their child’s stroller is not something I would consider alive with Christmas spirit.

Aside from the obvious lack of warmth from overly crowded spaces, there are the mistakes that can only be made during December. The parties attended with classmates, coworkers, and friends bonded by an overabundance of spirits. At these parties inhibitions are misplaced along with cell phones and promises for the sake of promiscuity and pleasure, providing others with the present of gossip.

Gossip and callousness are gifted in “baker’s dozen” each holiday season, accompanied with unnecessary boisterous fights.

My Decembers have also included the diagnosis of illnesses, the deaths of loved ones, and the requests for gifts that can’t be given.

I don’t celebrate Christmas for gifts and parties, those are superfluous fillers supplied by friends to ensure I’m as happy as them. In my own way, I am. I've learned embrace the celebration of marketable holidays by enjoying plush blankets and thick novels while surrounded by family. My perception of what December should be entails enjoying the company of family, accepting your friends and willing to forget their mistakes, and seeking out ways to be kind to others.

With age I've learned to tolerate December, I've even found ways to enjoy this duplicitous month.