Christmas time is here again

Christmas is when we put aside our troubles, or at least try to, and concentrate on family, close friends, good food and, if we're so inclined, on the spiritual side of life. It's a time of great joy, but also of great sorrow, as we remember those who can't be with us because of the distances involved or because they're no longer with us on this earth. It's also when we engage in more pretending than at any other time of the year. For these few days we cut ourselves off from the real world and submerge into a land of make-believe, where the biggest worry is how to tolerate being so close for so long to the ones we love. So let's pretend for these few days that the Western world isn't in its worst financial situation in decades (although it's not yet apparent to most people). Let's pretend that we're not fighting so many foreign wars that we can't even name them all. Let's pretend that the police state isn't closing in around us, preparing to take full control when the shit hits the fan. Let's take a break from it all for a few days and get back to real life, with vigor, on Monday. Merry Christmas!