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'Tis the season. It is in fact the season. The party season. Granted party season spans year-round, this time of year entices even homebodies out. Out with friends, out with families, out to party, just be out. No one wants to be home alone, after all.
December is a very special time for me. In addition to Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Eve, it is the anniversary of my birth. When I tell people when my birthday is, they most often comment, "Aww. You must not like it because people will combine your birthday and Christmas presents." While that may be the case, presents aren't the most important to me. Don't get me wrong, I welcome gifts with open arms, but it's not that big a deal. I do revel that my birthday occurs around the holidays. People are in more of a celebratory (aka party) mode during this time. Everyone wants an additional party agenda. For me, my birthday celebration is month long.

But it is a stressful time of year. Everyone is panicking right about now with last minute gifts, last minute party menus, last minute everything. We are, after all, a culture of procrastinators. The holiday rush is upon us now. Stores accommodate our procrastinations by opening early and closing late. We must all love them for that. The week before Christmas is most especially hyper-stressful.
Last week Friday (the 14th), my friends and I celebrated the end of their semester. Wha-hoo! Par-tay!
This past Sunday, we spent the entire afternoon into the evening shopping. Not necessarily Christmas shopping, but whatever.
Two days ago, a friend and I went to Ala Moana for some actual Christmas shopping after work. We spent 3 hours shopping. I'm sure we would've shopped longer, but we wanted to get home in time for Tila Tequila. It was not worth it at all. We should've shopped longer. But I digress. I was beat the next day, so no shopping that day.
It's really inconvenient when you have to work your holiday shopping and celebrations around your work schedule. Anyway, this weekend won't be any better. Tonight, we are going to try to catch the sample sale in Chinatown before my birthday celebration. Tomorrow, we are in party mode again. The weekend all depends on how Saturday morning goes or actually begins. There are just not enough hours in the day. I know we can all wake up earlier, but that doesn't mean that the rest of Hawaii will be up at that time.

Learn more about this author, Frances Babauta.
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