Normally, I’m a big fan of the holidays but for whatever reason, I’ve been a bit Grinchy this year. Personally, I blame TV. Since I’ve been working from home, I have it on a lot for background noise which frankly, I really have to stop doing. There is nothing like a Ho-Ho-Hold-the-payments commercial to put you into a Charlie Brownish state of mind. The constant demand and sense of expectation is so self inflicted. Until frozen brand-name hors d’ourves told me what a hassle the holidays were, I never really thought that. Yeah, it’s a busy time of year but it’s all supposed to be about fun stuff and enjoying each other whether or not you have a sixteen piece buffet lavishly decorated with traditional Victorian ornaments set out at all times just in case some burdensome friend or relative drops by unannounced.
Incidentally, I also take back anything nice I said about The Biggest Loser. I guess last season had a really special cast of people or something but this one was just another hideous reality show. I only made it a handful of episodes in before I gave it up as a bad habit. But, I digress.
This holiday despondence was really starting to get to me. It wasn’t so much that I was harboring any actual bitterness, but I was definitely feeling the absence of holiday cheer and that’s a pretty sizable gap to fill. Last weekend I got to go back into Toronto for a day and hook up with my crew.
And what happened then? Well, in Who-ville they say…that the Grinch’s small heart Grew three sizes that day!
There’s is something about the energy of that city that really recharges the ol’ batteries but not nearly so much as surrounding yourself with the best people in it! The food and the noise and the silliness are exactly where I left them, and it is beyond wonderful that I can always find them to come back to. I had one of those moments, where you sit back and take it all in. Just stop and observe these wonderful people I’ve been working and hanging out with for the last ten years. Somehow, we’ve all stayed together. Sure, we’ve scattered to other productions or cities, but have always managed to come back together for the holidays. Our ranks have swelled with terrific spouses and beautiful children now so these gatherings are big and loud and busy. The very definition of what the TV is telling me I need to trim out over the holidays. But if it came down to it, I would have crawled on my hands and knees in a blizzard to get there.
…And they would have taken me even without a box of frozen brand name hors d’ourves.
