Death & Naughty Santa

I noticed two things about the Holidays. People tend to die on or around the Holidays. My Drandpa died on 24th before X-Mas some years ago. My friend's grandma died few days before Thanksgiving. Stuff like that made me wonder why people dropped on the floor died on or around the Holidays. Is it the blues that made them go?

Sarah and I discussed about the customs of Southerners at the wakes and funerals. I wonder if the Civil War left a huge psychological damage to The South to a point where many generations continue to have an odd fixture with the death itself?

Dad still has a couple of pictures that were taken at the funerals or wakes. I remembered seeing some people taking pictures of dead persons in the coffin. That made me cringe. Drandma once told Mom, "When I'm dead in whatever I am wearing, do not change my clothes. Just leave it alone. Why am I getting a nice dress just to lay in the coffin year after year? What is the point? Don't put the make-ups on me. Nothing at all. And do not open the coffin to anyone else except for the family members."

At that time, I wonder why. But now I know. It is because of these odd people who brought the cameras to the funerals and wakes, taking pictures of corpses.

Remember the odd lady who had a daughter at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School? The lady took the daughter to stand next to Chanda's coffin and took a picture. Erik and I confronted the lady, her response was: "My daughter never saw a dead body, it is her first time. I want to take a picture of her with the woman in the coffin."

Needless to say, we kicked her out.

Another thing about the Holidays, I noticed that people tend to move in or out near or around the Holidays. I guess it has something to do with the lease which is 12-month, at times.

Either way, there will be several Holiday Parties starting tomorrow evening and few more next week. A part of me is Ebenezer Scrooge, a part of me is looking forward to it. Only time will tell if I enjoy it or not.

I might go to Hopelesswell, a small town in Virginia about 20 miles southeast of Richmond for the Holidays, just to make my parents happy.

Speaking of parents, I just read the article on AOL that the parents in Enterprise, Florida are on strike, leaving their teenagers (17 and 12) on their own since the teenagers refused to do the chores, so the parents had their tent outside along with the TV set. Lots of neighbors loved the parents and the parents had to console their kids, many media are picking the story up as we speak. Very cute.

Enjoy the picture by naughty Santa.



R-