I am glad to welcome January 2^nd as it signifies the official end of the holidays.  I appreciate the holiday season from Thanksgiving to Christmas, and on to the new year but I no longer actively participate in the season, and have not done so for a decade. I have a holiday dinner at the home of my bonus sister, Laura Parker, with her children, her parents (my neighbor, Mama Kay), and her cousin, but that is pretty much the extent of my holiday activities, and I am terrifically content with that.

As a musician, my holiday season was always crammed with performances and/or church duties that often shaped my family’s celebrations. Beginning in 1990 and for the following decade, it also meant a two-hour drive back to Central Indiana following midnight Christmas Eve services, arriving at the family home by 3 AM or 4 AM with official family commemorating commencing within a few hours. I recall being exhausted throughout Christmas Day and frequently removing myself from the throng of guests to nap.

The rest of the holiday season was spent catching up on rest and other responsibilities, most often preparing for the school’s spring musical. Following my Hoosier family gatherings, I often crawled to time-shares in Myrtle Beach, Orlando, or the condo on the Florida Gulf side. However, there was always much sleep and work planning involved.

I do not miss the stresses from the preparations, both musically and personally. I no longer feel that physical, mental, and emotional grind of “getting it all done.” When I had sons at home, it was nice to share the traditions and trappings of the season as these experiences were often their first introduction to family celebrations. However, the preparation stress was more extraordinary.

Now, with some physical limitations and fatigue my constant companions, the quiet of my holidays are so much more enjoyable as I observe the world around me busied with preparations and celebrations. This year, due to my house manager duties with Dayton Live, I did add a splash of holiday festiveness at the Schuster Center semi-watching, mostly listening to the sounds of THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS, The Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, THE NUTCRACKER, and Handel’s MESSIAH. On December 14^th, with Mama Kay and friends, I attended the annual performance of “A Back Lunch” featuring The Carillon Brass and that night, a Christmas party. This season was busier due to the new duties, but not as physically taxing as the previous year.

I am certain that my existing attitude to individual involvement in the holiday season is horribly Grinchy or Scroogey to some folks. The older I become, I find myself wondering how all this preparatory stress and exhaustion honors the original intent of the season. Still, again, I am satisfied and what is more, I simply no longer bother with what others think of life within the confines of The Haasienda. It’s personally freeing, and peaceful. I am content.

And with this official non-holiday start to the new year, I intend to make it a great day.