The Clock is Ticking

Okay people, it's crunch time. You all have to buck up here with me. We survived the election. We endured Halloween. Hold my hands, this is the tough part. The holidays are upon us. While I have outlined my fondness for Thanksgiving, the extended weekend that surrounds it poses its own problems. And of course, the confluence of Hanukkah and Christmas and New Year's just about takes psychosis into the realm of The Cuckoo's Nest.
My sister, who has been through a rough month--her car was totalled (not her fault), her husband took a job 3 hours away, she hates Halloween more than I do--has married into a gargantuan family. A gargantuan half Jewish family, might I add. There are holiday obligations coming out of nowhere. Where to spend Xmas Eve, Xmas Day, New Year's Eve and Day, Hanukkah, and she's a teacher, so of course she will be in SoCal for all of these blessed events. She's completely overwhelmed and in high level negotiations with her husband.
Me? As I am slightly more fortunate than my sister, I married into a small Jewish Canadian family. So, the Thanksgiving issue is moot. On the upside, we never have a conflict. On the downside, we never have a Thanksgiving feast. Also, none of that Xmas Eve/Day stress. That being said, my family antes up the pot a little with their very tight adhesion to tradition.
So, we are flying in to SoCal on Xmas Eve. I expected all the festivities to be fested so we could drag our jet lagged, tired of our kids, nasty airport food digesting selves into my parents' house, have a VERY stiff drink and sit on our butts for the night. But apparently, tradition requires that my extended family celebrate Xmas Eve at the time my flight lands. So, off I go. I will skip the disgusting airport food, drink the stiff drink on the plane, and bring my jetlagged self into my parents' home with smile on, ready to exchange the familial niceties of the Night Before Xmas.
Yes I can.
I can be buffeted from all sides. M freaks out at me over my family's sale-a-bration of Christmas because of the overwhelming amount of money spent on spoiling our children. More toys than any child could want/need/use.
Yes I can.
I can shop extensively for all of my family, although effectively, we could all write checks, swap them, and shred them.
Yes I can.
I can wrestle my children into photogenic clothes despite all protest.
Yes I can.
I can fly across the country on a series of probably-delayed, ebola-infested planes during the busiest travel season of the year in a time when fuel and baggage surcharges are added just to make everything a little more fun.
Yes I can.
Because this is the land of opportunity. The opportunity to celebrate holy days of diverse faiths together whether we like it or not.
Because this is the land of hope. We can hope it will be easier than it has been the last 6 times we've done it.
Because this is the land of family values. Grinning and bearing it. Spoiling our children. Buying stuff we can't afford because of AIG bailouts or gas prices.
Because this is the f'in holidays, people. Because this is what we do.
We can celebrate the guiding star and the baby in the manger.
We can celebrate the mystically long lasting oil in the temple.
We can welcome peace on Earth.
Put on your Santa hat and smile. The insanity starts.....
NOW.