It
sounds so cheesy, yet simple. But it’s not. We’re only a few days into the
official start of the holiday season, and I already see signs of stress on
people’s faces. And I know much of it is due to retailers whoring out their
wares at “supposed” deeply discounted prices. Black Friday sales! Cyber Monday
sales! Do you know I actually got an email where it announced Cyber WEEK? Are
you kidding me? I miss my childhood, when Laurel and Hardy’s “March of the
Wooden Soldiers” on Thanksgiving Day was the only thing to remind me the
holiday season had begun. And since I work in a restaurant, I am continually
reminded of the holidays and my duty to make others happy. But what about me?
Sometimes my own happiness during the holiday season gets lost in the shuffle
of rushing from one shift to the next. And I don’t want to let that happen this
year. The holiday season should be a magical time… where things are possible.
At least, that’s what I always thought. So, I’ve decided to make a list of
things (in no particular order) that I am looking forward to this holiday
season in order to remind myself that the magic is STILL there:
1. Post-work
drinks... I know that might sound silly (and possibly alcoholic) to some,
but going out after work is a true joy and necessity during the holiday
season. Patience IS a virtue, and it certainly can be tested this time of year.
That said, it’s nice to bond with your coworkers and exchange stories of the
night and laugh about what probably wasn’t funny at the time.
2. Post-Thanksgiving
breakfast with my mom… I had to work on Thanksgiving and thus could not
enjoy my mom’s turkey with all the fixin’s. That’s okay. Mom is coming into
town tomorrow to have breakfast with me and deliver a plate full of leftovers.
Can you say string bean casserole? I
assure you, that tasty item was NOT on the menu at my restaurant Thanksgiving
Day, so I am really looking forward to chowing down on some home cooking!
3. Hallmark
Movie Night… Betsy and I were already good friends, but when we discovered
a mutual love for Hallmark, well that just sealed the deal. We knew we’d be
friends to the end! Our Hallmark movie night is an annual event we started
about four years ago and I look forward to it each and every year. We sit on
her couch and drink, eat and watch Hallmark movies all night long! No holiday
season is complete without Hallmark movies. I mean, who doesn’t want to live in
a world where people actually LIKE each other and things always end on a happy
note? Sign me up! And this year, we have an additional guest attending and a
Hallmark Drinking Game (see card below) to play, so who knows what could
happen?
4. Billy
Joel concert… Some may say Billy is passé, but I still think he’s cool. I
grew up loving ROCK (it wasn’t called
“classic” back then because it was current) and NEW WAVE music (that’s
what they called alternative music back then for you youngsters who might be
reading this). Billy Joel was and is rock and roll to me. He even wrote a song
about it for goodness sakes! (“It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” for those of you
not in the know.) I am thrilled to be going to Madison Square Garden to witness
his sold-out monthly residency with my friends from college. We tried to go
back in June and when we got to the venue we were told that Billy was sick and
wouldn’t be performing. (https://jewoppy.blogspot.com/2017/06/billy-joel-or-bust-one-guess-which-one.html) It was a real bummer at the time since my friends had traveled hours to be
there, but now that the show is less than a month away, I’m kind of happy my
friends and I can celebrate the holiday season and Billy together!
5. Christmas
Lunch with Claire… I sat next to Claire one day in acting class, and my life
was forever changed. Besides producing a play together that we both starred in,
we have determined we are wine soulmates. She is a wonderful gal whose candor,
humor and kindness are much appreciated in my world. Last year we took a break
for our hectic lives to have a holiday lunch at a historic restaurant—P.J.
Clarke’s—where Buddy Holly supposedly proposed to his future wife on their
first date. There are many famous stories of this charming eatery and I had a
wonderful time with Claire, bonding, catching up and enjoying the holiday
spirit. I’m excited about this year’s outing… historic site to be determined!
6. Montreal…
I’m not sure if I sat next to Sue, but like Claire, we also connected in
acting class (Matthew Corozine Studio to be exact). My acting studio is like a
second home to me, and nothing serves as a testament to that more than the
lifelong friends I have made there. This year, I am so excited to be traveling
to Montreal to visit Sue and ring in the new year with her (and celebrate my birthday).
Sue and I have had many wonderful adventures together over the years and I am
so grateful for her friendship this holiday season. And of course the fact that
she has an adorable dog named Skoshi just puts the icing on my virtual birthday
cake!
7. My cousin
Mark’s engagement party… Although Mark is on my dad’s side of the family
and thus, Catholic, I would still call him a mensch. (That’s Yiddish for
gentleman,) Mark is kind and caring and I couldn’t be happier for him and his fiancée.
And now that my dad is gone, it’s especially meaningful to connect with my
Italian family—the Laura’s—and celebrate his engagement and the holiday season
together. Looking forward to toasting with you, beloved Mark!
8. Rosie
Cheeks at the Borgata… Last year, I went with two of my pals, Monica and
Rene, to Rosie’s final show and it was AMAZING. Rosie is an incredible
performer, full of charm and style. And she has a great sense of comedy too!
Something about seeing your good friend (aka Betsy) on stage in such a big
venue gives me the goosebumps and I feel such a sense of pride. And when I hear
the audience cheering for her (because yes, she is THAT good), I want to stand
up with a megaphone and shout, “That’s MY friend up there!!!” (Don’t worry,
Rosie, I won’t.) I look forward to seeing another amazing show this year, right
after Christmas!
9. My annual
Christmas photo at Bryant Park Grill… Hey, no one REALLY wants to work the
holidays. While some of us are pretty good at making our peace with it and even
having some fun along the way, we’d all rather have a day off if we could. That
said, I actually DO manage to have quite a bit of fun working on Christmas Day,
and a definite highlight is my annual photo with my coworkers, Shaheen and
Yaffa. Shaheen and Yaffa are two people that can smile no matter what is going
on around them. How they do it, well, it’s one of those mysteries that will
probably never be solved, but it’s remarkable. So who better to pose with in a
photo before AND after our shift than the two of them? Yaffa and I have already
been talking about wearing matching lipstick in our photos, so watch for it on
Facebook, folks!
10. Snow… Hello? What says holiday season
in NYC more than snow? I know it can be brutal to get around in, but it’s
soooooooooo pretty! I’ll deal with the travel headaches if I can just see the
snow falling even ONCE before Christmas.
Wow. That turned out longer than I
thought. But it was worth it. Just writing down the things that I’m looking
forward to this holiday season already makes my heart feel happier and lighter.
Feel free to let me know what you’re looking forward to. And please, let’s try
to all have a happy holiday season!
No comments:
Post a Comment