Funny Things About Christmas

Last Christmas Parkinson's was not funny to me. I had not yet made peace with my decision to have deep brain stimulation, and while I was approved for the procedure, I was still waiting for the surgery date.  It was a serious time for me. Or should I say I was serious at that time? Looking back at the past year I am rethinking my perceptions of myself. I like to think of myself as funny, easy-going and looking on the bright side of life. Hence, What’s Shaking Man.

But I could not write funny for two months starting with Thanksgiving 2022, and again from May 2023 through July 2023. I now wonder was I ever able to find the funny in Parkinson's, or in life? Was I fabricating or deriving funny for my own needs or to cover up less than funny feelings? I mean did you read my interview with Together for Sharon link? No funny. I can't even talk about What’s Shaking Man and be funny. Listen, I know what you're thinking and I appreciate your support but you don't know the whole story.

I used to think Santa was funny. Climbing down chimneys, a year’s worth of work in one night, and elves. Funny! And what about all those Christmas shows on television? Frosty. The Grinch. And, of course, Rudolph. What is funnier than an elf who wants to be a dentist! All that funny, and then Santa would bring all those great gifts. Awesomeness.

Then I found out the truth about Santa. For any children reading this…first off, why? Secondly,  Santa is not caught up in the “me too” scandal, he was not responsible for the spread of Covid (though he did visit every home and didn't quarantine…) and he was not listed as a domestic terrorist. No, much worse. But that's between you and your parents.

Once I knew the truth about Santa it was all serious. Suddenly I had to deal with my parents and not the big guy from the North Pole. Naughty and nice now meant doing chores and homework, not avoiding fights or not stealing Bazooka bubblegum from the liquor store on the corner. I began to see Rudolph and others in a new light. When Hermey talked about wanting to be a dentist he was really speaking about the poor working conditions at the North Pole. No longer funny. I became like the Burgermeister Meisterburger. Christmas had become a serious problem and so I became more focused on the Jesus part of the story, and not the funnier cartoon version.

This year I re-watched most of the Christmas shows on television for the first time in a long time. You know what? They were funny again. Really. Our dentists elf removes the teeth of Bumble, the snow monster, rendering him docile and non-threatening. Funny! Don't get me started on Snow Miser an Heat Miser (he’s too much!).

Now that I think about it maybe there has always been funny in Christmas. Could it be I'm just making a Charlie-in-the-Box out of a Jack-in-the-Box? Maybe I have been able to see the joy in Christmas all along. I have always laughed when Max the dog tries to pull the sleigh and other times I feel like the Grinch. The problem is not Christmas, it's me -of course. Much like the Winter Warlock I need to put one foot in front of the other and keep an eye out for the funny.


Links - funny and not:

Together For Sharon Interview, not funny

Hermey wants to be a dentist, funny (not the working conditions)

Burgermeister Hates Christmas, not funny

The Jesus Part from Linus, about as serious as a cartoon can be

Hermey calms the beast, darkly funny

Heat Miser and Snow Miser Sing, “he’s too much” funny

Charlie-in-the-Box, sadly funny

Max the Dog, Funny!

Winter Warlock, my favorite song form all Christmas shows though strangely not specifically about Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!!


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