...all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile...

I am told that many people become sad and depressed around "the holidays," and that even more find it unhealthily stressful.

I will admit here that I'm one of those people for whom this time of year is a mixed bag, so to speak.

On the plus side, I get to hang out with my mom and sometimes some other relatives for a few days, and they're pretty cool. The ones I see, anyway.

I also have an excuse to go all-out with the cooking and whatnot, which I don't usually do, and I mostly find that fun and kind of soothing.

Not to mention that I tend to have a very good time on New Year's Eve (hi, Shannon!), which is for me usually a very casual and fun thing, hanging out with friends and whatnot.

On the minus side, I'm pretty bothered by the obligation aspect. I have to do these traditional things; I don't really have the option of taking a pass, should I feel like doing that. It's an expectation, and if I fail to meet it, there's something horribly, drastically wrong with me.

Which is likely true, but I can't have people thinking that, now, can I.

And I pretty much loathe the holiday music, too, which runs the gamut between insipid and overtly religious. Neither of which I'm really okay with.

I will admit, though, that the line "We won't go until we get some" always makes me giggle. Figgy pudding, eh? So, that's what the kids are calling it these days.

Speaking of overt religiosity, some people find the season to be an excuse to wear their particular faith like a badge, which I find troublesome on several levels.

And don't even get me started on that whole Bill O'Reilly "War on Christmas" nonsense.

So, yeah. Hope everybody out there enjoys whatever it is they're doing, but if some of your off-beat friends/relatives don't seem to be having a good time during these few weeks, do me a favor and cut 'em some extra sympathy.