Peace On Earth.

The news has been screaming about this storm for the past five days. Always looking to scare the daylights out of the public for any reason, the news has been talking about little aside from the ice and snow and sleeting rain that is going to cut off our power, our gas supply (aside from baked beans consumption) and clog up the roads so badly that we won’t be able to move until the good grace of a snow plow rescues us.

Chicken Little wasn’t even this hysterical.

So while 90% of the population stays at home, snuggled up to their milk and bread, I figured this was the perfect time make the dubious task of holiday shopping part of my past. Earl is home working on a project, so I cleaned out the driveway, jumped in the car and headed down to the local mall. The roads are empty. There are a smattering of people out and about; others that laugh at the forced fear that we are presented with. We ban together, drive sensibly and do our shopping in peace. There’s no pushing, no shoving and ample parking. I’m considering this experience one of my Christmas presents to myself.

Now I know that shopping for the holidays should be a joyous experience. At one time I enjoyed browsing for the perfect gift for those on my list and I truly love the look in someone’s eye when I give them their gift for the year. I guess it’s the commercialism, the urgency and the lack of holiday spirit of it all that has destroyed the whole experience for me. Lights flash “sale! sale! sale!” People push and shove, all in the name of goodwill, as they grab for that last Nintendo or whatever. “I was here first”, they shout indignantly, even though they came swooping out of nowhere in their “I’m Lazy Cart”, using the basket on the front as a battering ram (they haven’t moved that fast since the cheez whiz nachos exploded in the microwave).

Not today. Today it’s me, the mall and a smattering of other brave individuals who don’t buy into the hyped up snow storm that is nothing like what we usually have around here.

I feel jolly.