We do a lot of power rankings here on SoBros Network. A lot of ‘best of’ this and ‘top 10’ that kinda stuff. That’s just what you have to do if you want to make in the journalism game these days. Nobody is making money writing opinions and covering elections – PFFFT, that’s bonkers.
So, every now and then, I have to remind myself that we’re overdue for some good quality rankings, and as I was perusing the Christmas decorations at Walmart the other day, this idea hit me like a ton of bricks.
For one, it’s just way too early. I mean, I’m as big a Christmas fan as you’ll find out there. The holidays are my unquestioned and uncontested favorite time of the year. But, I do like about a couple of weeks after Halloween to decompress, reflect upon Spooky Season, and just enjoy a more laid back vibe before business picks up.
But, whether we like it or not, it seems like society is moving forward on the holidays with or without us. It’s like as soon as the clock strikes midnight on Halloween, we’re already shifting gears and puttin’ up the Christmas tree. So, I thought I’d take a look at some of the not-so-good things that come along with it, and maybe that might be just enough for us to pump the brakes and say “ehhhh, maybe we should hold off a little longer…“
The Worst Things About the Holidays
Seasonal Depression – Right off the bat, the first thing that came to mind was seasonal depression, the “winter blues” if you will. Usually, I don’t struggle with it until mid-to-late January, but I know there are a lot of people out there who aren’t as fortunate as me. For a potential myriad of reasons, it can set in relatively early on once the days get shorter. It fuckin’ sucks.
Weight Gain – I don’t know about you guys, but all bets are off once the lead-up to Thanksgiving begins. I stop working out. I stop watching what I eat. I mean, you wanna talk about letting yourself go, I let myself go every holiday season. I’ll eat my weight in Christmas candy, sausage balls, and usually eat about three plates of food at every single function I attend. No holds barred. That said, it does make the return to the gym in January awfully hard.
Spending Money – I know money is a huge stressor for a lot of people this time of year. I don’t necessarily agree with all of the capitalistic aspects of the holidays, but I play along to a certain extent. I hate turning loose of the money, though – so much so that I’ve started saving a few bucks here and there throughout the year to make it a little easier on the wallet this time of year.
People not doing shit at work – Is it just me or does it seem like everyone just gets fucking lazy this time of year? Particularly, when you’re in urgent need of something. It’s like people just check out for the year around Thanksgiving, and pick back up in mid-January.
Schedule picks up – Another thing that gets under my skin…I’m already a super busy guy. It makes things harder when the social calendar picks up. Plus, it’s usually one of the few times of year that I actually make a concerted effort to relax and not worry about day-to-day stuff. I want more downtime and less scheduling, so forget all the extra parties.
Maybe next year, we can keep these things in mind and at least wait for the McRib to hit McDonald’s before we hang up our Christmas lights.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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