WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
“And I’ve brought some corn for popping”: This time of year is bad for my waistline. Like many others, I tend to eat a tad bit more around the holidays. Well, to be honest, I consume a little bit more than a tad! But most of my eating does not happen at home, but rather at the office. Aside from the holiday goodies that co-workers bring in, such as cookies and candy, our vendors, clients and others graciously send in an array of edible treats for us to enjoy. From jars of assorted nuts, which are delicious, to boxes of candies and other gifts, finding a snack in our office around the holidays is never a problem. The real problem is not being able to STOP snacking. Just this week one of those large jars of nuts was placed at my desk, which is more or less the water cooler of the office. When someone stopped by to grab a few, I felt it was my duty to help myself as well. The jar is nearly empty after just a few days. Luckily we have another unopened jar still in the box waiting to take its place! If there is one thing I wish I could get for Christmas, it would be self-control. When I see snacks just sitting there, waiting to be eaten, I tell myself, “hey, it’s the holidays, live it up.” The guiltiest pleasures of all the yummy things we receive in our office are the tins of popcorn. If there is any variety of cheddar or white cheddar popcorn in that tin, I am like a kid in a candy store! We often joke that it would be nice if we received baskets of fresh fruit instead, how nice that would be. In the end, it doesn’t matter. If it is edible, we will eat it. Well, maybe except for figgy pudding. I still have no idea what that even is. But if it tastes good …
“Greeting cards have all been sent”: I have mentioned before how much I enjoy sending Christmas cards. It is a tradition that I personally started years ago that I picked up from my Grandma and Grandpa Wellington, who always sent out and received more cards than I can remember each Christmas. I added an annual “update” letter when I moved to Kalamazoo in 1996 and have dropped one in my cards ever since. I told my wife that I will probably be the last person on earth sending Christmas cards and I will do so until they stop selling them. That time may be coming. I noticed that many stores have slashed their greeting card sections almost in half, probably because of the popularity of the photo card. I also had a hard time finding Christmas stationery for my annual letter! Of course, I waited until the last minute to purchase it, but still, there selection was pretty poor. Those are the two items that I always venture out for the day after Christmas. I have a feeling, based on the pre-sale inventory, that I might come away disappointed this year. I have softened my ways regarding the photo cards, however. We do purchase a handful of photo cards as well, but they are sent WITH the card and letter. Otherwise, the picture is included in the letter itself. Change comes so slowly for some people!
