A Grinchy Check-in From a Not-So-Motorcycley Blogger

This Christmas season, I have been particularly Grinchy. Not that I’m sour or angry or anything. I guess you might say indifferent is more fitting. So much of the holiday hustle and bustle of what is going on around me seems stupid and pointless. All this rushing around and buying useless shit… I just can’t.

There is much for me to be grateful for. My family is well taken care of and not only doesn’t need anything, but there really isn’t even a frivolous thing that any of us want for.

Thinking back to my childhood (when I wanted everything) it blows my mind that I have a teenager who really doesn’t want anything. Perhaps when the world is at your fingertips – it’s easy to be selective versus indiscriminately grabbing at anything you can get your hands on to plug the inadequacy hole.

Here where I live, people are jamming the roadways and stores, jockeying for parking spaces and snatching waffle irons from each other’s hands. Things don’t feel very peace on earth and goodwill toward men-ish. No, it’s nasty news and crappy exchanges in the real world and on social media. Buy more, feel less and fuck the other guy.

When I Christmas-tipped my garbage man this morning, I felt good about it. I happily scrawled a greeting and put a red bow on the envelope I left for him. It’s not like we’re tossing industrial trash or anything, but trashcans with bags of post-walk dog poo each day deserve a little something.

Later in the afternoon when I came home to find my garbage can and it’s lid flung into different parts of the front yard, I was torn by wondering if my envelope was too light or he’s just a dick. Apparently, my goodwill wasn’t good enough.

I think this is when I’m supposed to be the change I want to see in the world, right? But, I guess I’m not. I’m just another unenlightened, judgmental asshole and I feel tired. Why can’t I bother to find the spirit of the season within myself? It’s doubly disappointing because I have an expectation that everything should feel magical this time of year.  Instead, Christmas feels like something to survive versus something to enjoy.

Yesterday was the winter solstice – the day we started moving back towards the light. Maybe I will, too. I’m off from work until the new year. Maybe this time off will allow me to recenter and find my way back to being a nice human being.

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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8 Responses

  1. Ted Kettler says:

    I understand completely!! I love Christmas, everything about it. I love giving gifts and see those smiles and the happy faces when family gets together. I love all the Christmas music and just the joy of it all.
    Then the transmission on the Certified Pre-owned/broken Jeep Cherokee I bought 5 months ago blows up. Two days before Christmas…. really??
    Fate has a funny way of saying “no, you’re not allowed to have it easy”. And so, as I go Christmas shopping tomorrow with a borrowed car, I will still smile as I hear Christmas songs in the stores.
    Life goes on and I won’ t be beat down. For I know, there will be some riding soon.
    Merry Christmas Rachel!

  2. Dookes says:

    Spot on, I’m right with you!
    These days I go for enjoying the Solstice and sort of take the view “screw the material world!”
    The whole Christmas thing has been taken over by commercialism and self centred greed; just like Valentines Day, Easter, and …insert any other holiday or festival that some self centred greedy individual thinks that they can make money out of!
    I extend to you my best wishes for a peaceful, happy and cash-free few days of holiday.
    Catch you after the madness is over!
    Dookes

  3. BorderPlanet says:

    I’ve been stressed over life lately and barely noticed the approaching holiday season. In the past, this time of year would multiply that stress ten fold but over the last few years my friends and family have greatly simplified the season. It was a difficult adjustment at first, but now it’s a nice mellow time of year. I think it was difficult to adjust initially because of the unrealistic expectations we had accumulated over time. You just have to let them go.

    Friends and family get a homemade photo card, a gift card to their favorite restaurant, a mix CD of my favorite music from the last year, and some small token. This years token was my new favorite pen (Uni-Ball Jetsream 1.0) which goes for just a couple of bucks. Who doesn’t need a pen? My Thursday night drinking buddies all got a bottle of weird beer to try. The beer had been rolling around in the back of the truck so I hope they waited till they got home. Just touching base with those you love at this time of year and saying it out loud or with some small token is nice.

    Just because you’re not focused on all the commercial crap does not mean you’re not nice. Your issues with the season are valid. Don’t be so hard on yourself…have a cookie…turn off the screens…hug the dog…and Merry Christmas! 🙂

    P.S. I love the photography in this post…very nice.

  4. Kathy says:

    Yes, every year Christmas becomes less and less magical and more and more rushed. I’d usually be down, too, but this year is different. This year, all of the kids are coming here. And the grand kids. So we actually have some crazy happy chaos to look forward to. We are in the same sort of boat where we seem to be buying stuff because we can, or because we have to, not to fulfill any particular want it need.

  5. Shybiker says:

    Don’t look for generosity of spirit in others; find it in yourself and radiate it outward. Others will disappoint you. Happy holidays, my friend. Enjoy your time off and relax.

  6. Colleen says:

    I’m with you on the tedium of going through the motions of the holidays and snarkiness of some of the people we encounter while going through these motions. We put fewer decorations on the tree this year but still had lot and lots of lights…they look magical. Lights outside on the fence and some inflatable lighted figures…we were done! Home is the best place to be…no traffic. I hope you find the key to recharging your joy during your well-earned break.

    Merry Christmas ☮️

  7. Sandy says:

    I can totally relate. I try to go through the motions at this time of year and keep my Grinchiness in check. ‘Adulting’ has a way of sucking the magic right out of us, that and the weather LOL

  8. The mad rush around Christmas can camouflage the beauty and bounty already around us. Stepping away, hugging those we love and love us, and finding gratitude for what we already have rather than chase the things we don’t — maybe Christmas is in there somewhere. As the Grinch said, “Maybe it’s not in a store.”

    Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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