The Holidays Can Bring Out the Best and the Worst in People

The other day the female offspring and I stopped at the post office to pick up stamps for Christmas cards.  It wasn't crazy busy, but it was pretty much hoppin' for our little small town postal facility.  Especially the parking lot.  It's to be expected - it's that time of year. 

photo: publicdomainpictures.net

As I was ready to leave there were two other cars also trying to vacate parking spaces.  Also a large truck and a mini-van looking for parking.

The older man in the truck stopped and waited to the other cars to leave.  I thought he was just waiting for one of those choice spots right in front of the door and was going to wait for him to go past before I tried backing up.  But then he waved me out also.  He was just being patient with all the other drivers.

The woman driving the minivan however, did not possess the virtue of patience that day.  She was a woman with places to go and things to do.  As clearly displayed by the way she decided she was done waiting for him to let everyone else go and came pulling on around him.  Swerving around (and between) both his tuck and my own vehicle in the process.  And - winner, winner, chicken dinner - she got herself one of those prized parking spots in front of the door as a reward for her aggressiveness.


The female offspring and I were both stunned!  Not only at her impatience, but how she was willing to risk a fender bender to get to a parking spot a whole 15 seconds faster than she otherwise would have.

As I circled around to pull out onto the road I looked back toward the building...

and saw the man from the truck hurry over and open the door to the post office for rude minvan lady!  Repaying her actions with an act of kindness.

It did my heart good to see that.  So.. thank you to the kind gentleman in the truck.   For reminding me that in the face of all the hostility and impatience of the holiday season - it is possible to stay positive and share kindness with others.  Even when they may not deserve it!

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Cheer to All Whos, Far and Near... (repost)

**originally posted on November 29, 2011 - now reposted with small revisions**

I have a confession...

I love all those Christmas specials meant for the kids.  Adore them.  They may very well be my favorite part of the season!  Christmas is not complete for me unless I can indulge myself in episodes of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and The Year Without a Santa Claus. 
 

 Of all the Christmas specials - my very favorite is How The Grinch Stole Christmas.  Not that cheesy, twisted movie version.  The classic.  The cartoon version from 1966 narrated by Boris Karloff.  The "real" Grinch.

 

There's just something about that grumpy, mean, Christmas stealing ol' Grinch.  With his too tight shoes, and his head not screwed on just right.  Little Cindy Lou Who (who was no more than two).  Poor little Max.  And that moment when the Grinch feels the true meaning of Christmas come through and he finds the strength of *ten* Grinches, plus two!  Who doesn't get all warm and fuzzy feeling when the Grinch's small heart grows three sizes that day? 

It's enough to make my small heart grow three sizes also!  Every single time!

A Little Grinch in All Of Us (repost)

*originally posted December 19, 2011*

What ever happened to good will toward man?  The Christmas spirit?  Isn't this time of year supposed to bring out the best in people?  Even the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes at Christmas!  And yet...  I seem to be living in a town full of Scrooges.

I have had more people pull out into traffic right in front of me in the past week than the entire rest of the year.  And the ones that aren't pulling out in front of me, or cutting me off - are the ones riding my bumper.

Then there was the woman in line at the store in front of me who was clearly well over the "20 items or less".   She didn't think that requirement applied to her.  Or maybe she just thought it was more of a suggestion than anything else.  Who knows.  But as if ignoring the 20 item limit wasn't rude enough - she had to also complain about everything involved with her transaction.  How it was being bagged.  Didn't the cashier have a bag for the giant box containing the slow cooker she was purchasing?  Why did she have to sign a receipt for her credit card purchase when she had done the transaction on the little swipe pad thing already? 

And of course the people who stand in line and huff and puff and fidget because things aren't moving fast enough.  Sorry people - but you know it's the holidays.  You know the stores are going to be crowded.  So is the post office. You should well expect that you are going to have to wait in line.  Sighing deeply to yourself over and over isn't going to change that fact.

I'm choosing to try a new tactic in dealing with all the ill-will around me.  I paste on a big ol' smile and kill them with kindness.  Will it change all those around me?  Probably not.  But it can still have a reward all its own.  For as the saying goes -

Welcome to December

It's December y'all!!

The holidays are upon us and this year of 2013 will soon be ending. In the blink of an eye if this last month goes by like all of the rest!

I've got lots and lots in store for all of you this month.  Some new stuff, some old stuff, some crafty stuff, some faith stuff, and some crazy stuff. 

If you were around this time last year, you may remember that I was being a real Mrs Grinch.  (More about that HERE) We were trying to wrap up a major living room remodel, and I was having a hard time getting into the spirit of the season. 

This year is different. 

This year, I am excited about decorating the house.  Celebrating with my family.  Observing the birth of our Savior.  I've been spending a lot of time on Pinterest (maybe more than is healthy)  All that's going to show in my blog posts.

So... fix yourself a cup of cocoa.  Snuggle up under your favorite soft throw.  And lets do this Christmas season right this year!! 

Mrs Grinch's Small Heart Grew Three Sizes That Day

All you Christmas Elf type bloggy friends can relax.  Mrs Grinch and family have a tree.

Yes, I realize it's not decorated yet.  That is on the calendar for Wednesday night. 

Don't Worry - it was not obtained by shoving it up the chimney of some poor unsuspecting Who down in Who-ville.

They call me - Mrs. Grinch

I am having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year.  I'm just not feeling it.

Maybe it's because the weather has been so warm.

Maybe it's because my sisters won't be visiting this year until after Christmas.

Or maybe it's because our house is still in the throes of the living room renovation and not looking very Christmas-y at all yet.

I am starting to stress about whether enough of it is going to be done in time to make our home at least reasonably settled for Christmas.  It feels like there is still a lot of work to be done. 

And because of the renovations to the living room, the rest of the house is starting to look like something deserving of it's own episode of "Hoarders".  (Is that a sofa under all that stuff in the dining room?  Why, yet it is!)

I had to inform the family last night that based on the way the schedule to get things done is looking, there may not be a tree this year. 

That's right... sing it with me....  "You're a mean one, Mrs Grinch"

I'm really not trying to be a Scrooge.  It's just that we can't pull a tree in right now.  The baseboards and trim have to be done first.  The curtain hardware and the curtains themselves need to hung.  Having the tree in would just complicate the entire process.

And I can't imagine going through all the work and difficulty of getting and putting up a tree for just  a few days.  (Go ahead, sing another verse... I'll sit here quietly until you're done)

As you can imagine, I'm not incredibly popular around here right now. 

I sincerely hope I'm proved wrong and things are at a point by next weekend where putting up the tree can happen. And if it doesn't... well, we all know how the Grinch's story ended... even without all the wrappings.

Please Also Read: Mrs. Grinch's Small Heart Grew Three Sizes That Day

A Little Grinch In All Of Us

What ever happened to good will toward man?  The Christmas spirit?  Isn't this time of year supposed to bring out the best in people?  Even the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes at Christmas!  And yet...  I seem to be living in a town full of Scrooges.

I have had more people pull out into traffic right in front of me in the past week than the entire rest of the year.  And the ones that aren't pulling out in front of me, or cutting me off - are the ones riding my bumper.

Then there was the woman in line at the store in front of me who was clearly well over the "20 items or less".   She didn't think that requirement applied to her.  Or maybe she just thought it was more of a suggestion than anything else.  Who knows.  But as if ignoring the 20 item limit wasn't rude enough - she had to also complain about everything involved with her transaction.  How it was being bagged.  Didn't the cashier have a bag for the giant box containing the slow cooker she was purchasing?  Why did she have to sign a receipt for her credit card purchase when she had done the transaction on the little swipe pad thing already? 

And of course the people who stand in line and huff and puff and fidget because things aren't moving fast enough.  Sorry people - but you know it's the holidays.  You know the stores are going to be crowded.  So is the post office. You should well expect that you are going to have to wait in line.  Sighing deeply to yourself over and over isn't going to change that fact.

I'm choosing to try a new tactic in dealing with all the ill-will around me.  I paste on a big ol' smile and kill them with kindness.  Will it change all those around me?  Probably not.  But it can still have a reward all its own.  For as the saying goes -

“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.” ~ Herm Albright

Horton Hears A What?

Still being obsessed with all things Grinch at this time of year, I find myself once again pondering this point...

The Grinch lives just north of Who-ville.  We all know that.

Jump over to another Seuss classic - "Horton Hears a Who".    There in the Jungle of Nool is sweet, faithful Horton protecting his speck of dust.  And we find the Who's residing upon that little speck of dust.

Which leads me to wonder... 

Does the Grinch, in fact, live upon Horton's speck of dust as well?

Cheer To All Whos, Far and Near

I have a confession...

I love all those Christmas specials meant for the kids.  Adore them.  They may very well be my favorite part of the season!  Christmas is not complete for me unless I can indulge myself in episodes of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and The Year Without a Santa Claus. 

I actually feel a little giddy when I see those shows pop up on the television listings.  I feel like a kid again!  I watch the TV guide like a hawk, making note of when each one is airing.  This year is even better because thanks to the joy of DVR, I can record and watch them whenever I want.  As many times as I want!  It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

Of all the Christmas specials - my very favorite is How The Grinch Stole Christmas.  Not that cheesy, twisted movie version.  The classic.  The cartoon version from 1966 narrated by Boris Karloff.  The "real" Grinch.

There's just something about that grumpy, mean, Christmas stealing ol' Grinch.  With his too tight shoes, and his head not screwed on just right.  Little Cindy Lou Who (who was no more than two).  Poor little Max.  And that moment when the Grinch feels the true meaning of Christmas come through and he finds the strength of *ten* Grinches, plus two!  Who doesn't get all warm and fuzzy feeling when the Grinch's small heart grows three sizes that day?