2017 Home for the Holidays

2017 Home for the Holidays LINCOLN DAILY NEWS November 22, 2017 Page 7 “Getting in the mood” by the Christmas Curmudgeon By Derek Hurley E very year in October, the temperature lowers just enough for sweatshirts (or at least it tries to), the leaves change color, and we see that last bit of October rain that always manages to sneak up on us. The feeling that accompanies these changes in environment is an oddly welcome one for someone as Curmudgeonly as myself. The closest word I can find to describe it is “joy.” Then again, it may only be a case of schadenfreude (a feeling of pleasure at witnessing misfortune). October also comes with Halloween, and I enjoy any opportunity to literally scare people away from my house. As a bonus, the holiday gives me an excuse to continue not clearing away the spider webs in the corner. Suddenly that Halloween mood is replaced with the one belonging to Christmas festivities. I feel like I need to apologize to Thanksgiving for skipping over it, but let’s be honest; November 1st is practically the 1st of Christmas, a near sixty-day season unto itself. For example, there are stores setting up for Christmas in September- before Halloween even has a chance to register. And don’t even get me started on craft stores that sell Christmas stuff year-round. Maybe that’s why I can’t completely understand the joy I should be feeling at Halloween; Christmas is already poking its head out of the ground. Perhaps the people behind Groundhog’s Day can do something about that. It baffles me that we let Christmas out so early. I have to ask- is anyone actually okay with seeing red and green baubles in the store aisles in September? I have yet to meet anyone who is. Walking by a certain section of Walmart CONTINUED ===