It’s Dec. 2, and I’ve already felt the wrath of stressed-out Grinches everywhere. In the parking lot today, I got screamed at by a woman for not backing out fast enough. At the grocery store, I veered toward the clementines and earned a snarling “Watch it!” from the guy walking behind me. I get stressed out and snarly too, but around the holidays, I like to be a little kinder and gentler. Here’s to hoping other folks get the hint, too.
So, I can’t write any new posts for a bit, because I have to write some things and get paid for them. I do that sometimes. In honor of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” which aired tonight, I’m linking to my homage to the Charlie Brown Christmas tree, which I wrote a couple of years ago for Today.com. I can’t cut and paste it here, because there’s copyright laws and stuff. But I hope this excerpt will tempt you to click through. It’s one of the favorite-ist things I ever wrote.
An ode to the Charlie Brown Christmas tree
“I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.” – Linus Van Pelt, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
At the Christmas tree lot the other day, I strode past the big trees. I led my family past the full, bushy trees, to the end of the line, where the little, sad, scraggly trees lived.
“Oh, I know which one you’re going to want,” said my husband, Steve.
And he was right. I walked right over to a loose-limbed tree that stood maybe 5 feet tall. I placed a protective hand on its wobbly top. “This is the one.”
the swift kick 