This season...

make it about reaching out to other people and enjoying those around you. I'm not really big on the gift-giving aspect. (I'm a horrible gift-opener. My reaction is always awkward and unreadable.) I have been trying to see around those first reactions of people (mainly in the service industry) and trying to think of reasons why they may be acting the way they act. I know it's helped me be more patient. And I've found, that if you are nice long enough the person who is irking you eventually comes around and smiles or, at the very least, ends the "transaction" on a much more pleasant note. I'm trying to remember that this season is a hard time for many people, and the reasons are usually emotionally tied. I know, from my own experience, how powerful one's emotions can be to keep in check. Following this paragraph is a PostSecret. It reminded me that you never know who you are going to influence in a significant way.




This Christmas, I'm enjoying that I have a break from the stress of school. It's making me appreciate family time. I bought Christmas Vacation, with Chevy Chase, hoping that it would be a movie The Scientists would like. We watched it last night and we didn't even get through the animated credits, and he was already laughing. He loved the entire movie and was laughing so hard. It was a nice change from the normal moaning and groaning he usually puts up about movies I've picked.

When I bought the movie, I was supposed to get forty percent off, but my coupon wasn't scanning correctly. The sales lady, who would be one of the previous sales people who don't seem very cheerful, used a different coupon on the register. I ended up paying full price for the movie. However, she took forty percent off of a Star Wars pop-up book that the boys wanted for Christmas. The book was originally $32.99, because of the coupon I only paid $19.79 for the book. I kept telling the lady that I was fine with not getting a discount on the DVD, because the computer took more off for the much more expensive book. This was one sales person who never broke with her gruff exterior. After witnessing the other customers in the Borders, I understood why. Those were some crabby customers. They were snapping at the workers and rolling their eyes. I felt really bad for the workers. It's not like they enjoy pushing charitable causes on the customers or asking you if you're already a member of Borders Rewards program. It's part of their job description and the customers shouldn't act like it's a personal threat, or attack, on their time. God forbid! A simple "No thank you." is enough. A "I REALLY JUST HAVE TO GO!!!" is over the top and really quite rude.

So while I don't think that those snotty ladies will read this blog, for the handful of people that do (and really I don't think you're the ones with these rudeness issues), remember that smiling, being polite (using please and thank yous when necessary), and being patient are ways to show that you respect the person you're dealing with. It's not a way to act condescending and superior. And in an effort to not leave out any specific holiday celebration (my apologies if I do):

"Merry Christmas"
"Happy Holidays"
"Happy Kwanzaa"
"Happy Hanukkah"
"Happy Saturnalia"

Mr. C., The Scientist's teacher, made a slideshow of the class making their gingerbread houses. You will find the link here.