THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE.

            "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is coming to a close quicker than wanted for some and not soon enough for others. It flew by far too quickly for me. But it always does.

            The belly's a little bigger and the wallet's a little lighter and the melancholy’s starting to creep in a bit but the memories that were made were oh so worth it.

            To quote a famous Elvis Presley Christmas song: “For if everyday could be just like Christmas, What a wonderful world this would be.” Maybe yes, maybe no. If “everyday could be just like Christmas” how would it be so special then? To me it’s kind of like living full-time in a vacation home...where do you vacation? Hmmmmmm? Just saying.

 I do understand the sentiment though; about everyday being just like Christmas, it’s the feeling of peace and harmony and glad tidings to all, which I do completely agree with, but there is also an undeniable warmth that is felt, by most people, I would hope, during this season of the year, that makes it especially special and unique and that kind of feeling would be hard to reproduce on a daily basis.

            There’s another quote by American writer, publisher, philosopher, Elbert Hubbard, (no relation; at least as far as I know), who famously said, “Next to the circus, there ain’t nothing that packs up and tears out faster than the Christmas spirit!”, suggesting, also, that making “every day just like Christmas” would be a daunting task indeed. Again... difficult to sustain, don’t you think?

            So, we move on and life gets back to “normal” and we return to our regular routines, but, hopefully we will carry a wee bit of the spirit of the season around with us. For a while at least.

            There can be a bit of a letdown as the aforementioned after-Christmas melancholy kicks in so that’s why entering the New Year is a bit of a reset and allows one to get one’s bearings. Setting goals and making resolutions for the upcoming year can also lift one’s spirit and give you something to look forward to.

            Do you think that it’s coincidental that there is a direct correlation between the overindulgence of the Happy Holidays to the top three New Year’s resolutions? They are in order: 1.) lose weight, exercise more and improve one’s physical well being; 2.) improve finances...get out of debt, save money; 3.) improve mental well-being...think positive, laugh more often, enjoy life. Again...hmmmm.

            For me personally, I think 2014 was a pretty good year. I will, of course, promise to do the above things, as well, and maybe a few others, too, because everybody could use some self improvement, don’t you think, and there is never a better time for that than the start of a new year. A new beginning, as it were.

            Of course I’ll have to give myself a day or two to finish up the holiday food and beverage leftovers and wallow in the melancholy before I tackle that procrastination resolution....

            I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, whether it was too short or too long, and I wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2015.

Happy New Year!!

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every New Year find you a better man.”- Benjamin Franklin. (1706-1790).