Eager for Christmas

For the past 5 years, I've worked in retail during the holiday season.  I started out as a cashier, then was promoted to head cashier, then promoted to management, then switched jobs and was essentially a store manager for 2 years.  The holidays to me had become a time to dread.  Long hours, crabby customers, bosses always wanting more: more of my time, more quotas to be met, more miracles I was supposed to be able to work.

This year, though - oh, this year is wonderful!  I have my normal hours; they aren't extended due to the needs of retail.  I'm home at the same time and on weekends; I don't have to live at the store during the prime home-time with my family.  I'm able to relieve S of parenting duties; with me, before, he was pretty much a single parent for 6 weeks (when I wasn't working, I was so exhausted from working that I would try to catch up on sleep).

This evening, after dinner and the kids' homework, I did some yoga and then settled down with a pile of presents and 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' and wrapped.  And wrapped.  The kids were enthralled with a movie I've loved for 30 years, so I was even able to wrap some of their stuff with them in the same room!  The tree was lit, the smell of pine filled the air (fake trees are easier/cheaper, but you just can't beat the smell of a real tree!), and my family was around me, happy and content to hang out with each other and a good movie.

Once again, I was incredibly thankful for having gotten out of the beast of the business that is retail.  I'm so eagerly enjoying this year's holiday and looking forward to all of it.  :)

And I'm remembering to be extra nice to those retail workers I come across.  They put up with a lot. 

G'night, all!

<3,
~k