Wish I had a river...

Coming on Christmas. Cutting down trees. If the lack of light and the residual family issues don't get me, single + holidays = abandonment will. Especially in Seattle where everyone is from somewhere else (except me). Everyone goes off to their family, and I'm left wondering where my rich and full life went. Previously attempted coping mechanisms have included: general overindulgence and poor decision making, escaping into an alternate reality by watching Alias on DVD all night and sleeping all day, or getting on an airplane and running away. Unfortunately, none of these actually helped all that much. What should it be this year?

My new goal: Embrace the holiday angst! Overindulge if the spirit moves me. Watch as many movies as necessary. But also welcome the ghosts of loss and disappointments past who are lurking in my dark corners. Maybe allowing them some light will finally release them. Or maybe I'll just escape by working on my new blog...

At least I've come up with a few new ways to simplify and de-consumer-ify.

1. Christmas cards with luxury tea bags and a honey stick inside for co-workers.
   
2. Donations to a favorite charity or cause (preferably theirs, not yours). For kids, World Wildlife Fund Adopt an Animal.
   
3. Decoupaged frames with miniaturized black and white old family photos (with a current photo in the middle). Gotta love the scanner/printer combo!