My Favorite Time of the Year

If people ask me what my favorite season is, I say Spring or Autumn, because I like being able to go outside without freezing my ass off or sweating like a pig and worrying about heat stroke.  Also, I like the changes and the colors – Spring and Autumn are definitely the two most

Well, that's over

interesting seasons, visually.

If people ask me what my favorite holiday is, I usually say Halloween, because I think dressing up so that nobody recognizes you and acting crazy is a real hoot.

But if you were to ask me what my favorite time of the year is, it’s right about now.  Christmas and New Year’s are over and won’t roll around for a whole ‘nother year.  We can relax.

New Year’s Eve, of course, is somewhat popular amongst people who enjoy a bit of a tipple now and again.  But that was never me.  I haven’t had a drink for over 12 years now, but when I drank, I really drank.  One guy I met at AA had the perfect description of New Year’s Eve.  Amateur night, he called it.  All the bars where you  would usually go to get shnockered were charging a big cover and were filled, absolutely jam packed, with people who couldn’t hold their liquor.

The fireworks are nice (and they really go for the fireworks in a big way, here in Prague) but if you’ve seen one fireworks display, you’ve  seen them all.

I don’t really  hate Christmas as much as I pretend to.  I’m a bit of a scrooge, but I’ve got kids and they love Christmas, so the holiday has some redeeming value.

But now that it’s January, I know I won’t have to watch another stupid Christmas movie, hear another stupid Christmas song, or see another Christmas ad reminding me of what a cheapskate I am.

The 11 month long non-holiday season has begun, and I couldn’t be happier.