It’s The Most Busiest Time Of The Year

It's not easy being a hermit this time of year.

I love Christmas, but it seems to take so long to get here. Now that may sound like the like the often spoken statement of a young child bemoaning the fact that it will be sooooo long until Santa comes. But, in my case it stems from the fact that there is so much to do, some optional, some not, by the time I can even contemplate a “long winter's nap,”

First of all, the workplace, for me anyway, seems to pick up the pace. Many of our advertisers, for which we are grateful, pick up their marketing efforts during this time and we assist them in getting commercial advertising on the air and online for their goods and services.

And then there's all the other things that come along to fill up our time. There's the company party, your significant other's company party, church party, club's and organization's that you belong to parties, neighborhood parties, your family's party, your significant other's family's party, community parties and open houses and for all I know the Democratic and Republican party parties.

I've made a deal with my wife. The party scene is just not for me, so she gets one. I'll go to the party she chooses, usually between the work or the church party. She almost always takes the church party. Good choice.

Then, of course, there's the obtaining of the gifts we want to give to another. Before online really became a thing, we went to the Phoenix area to spend time with one of our family who lived there, and we went for Thanksgiving. Of course, the day after was Black Friday, and the hotel where we were staying just happened to be across the street from one of the bigger malls in the Valley of the Sun. My daughters and wife asked if I wanted to go shopping with them. All I could think of was the line the Jack Nicholson character said in the movie Terms of Endearment said. “I'd rather stick needles in my eyes.” My son had to work that day at the fast food place where he was employed. I was tempted to join him.

And then, there's all the activities we can participate in, and here I want to maybe pull back the sarcasm a tad, and say that these are really good things. For example I love going to the annual performance of the Messiah that is done here in Cedar City, and there are many tremendous celebrations that really do enhance our joy in the season. But wow. Just looking at just this week at the events page at visitcedarcity.com you could stay active pretty much 24-7. For example:

Holidays at the Homestead

This starts tomorrow and runs through Saturday at the Frontier Homestead State Park on Main Street. This runs from 5:30 to 8:00pm and features holiday themed crafts, activities and entertainment. Rumor has it Santa will make an appearance, too.

SP Story Time

This takes place Friday at the Sweet Pea Farm and Orchard in Parowan. On Friday's they tell Christmas tales for the young and young at heart. The story telling starts at 5:30pm. This week it's “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.”

The Piano Guys

Saturday night the America First event Center will feature a joyous celebration of the music of the season as The Piano Guys will warm up the night. Tickets for the night are still available by going here. It's a fun night

That's just a few of the events this week. And then next week starts Sunday night with the first of two performances of The Messiah at the Heritage Theater in downtown Cedar City.

So, lot's of things to keep all of us, including hermits like me, busy this time of year. But in the end, it's all worth it. The time with those we love most. Laughter with friends. The joy and hope of redemption. And, eventually, that long winter's nap