The invitations started arriving about a week ago. I’ve received lovely emails about Christmas parties and events from people I know in New York, London and Berlin, and I’m wondering if I can multiply myself for all the holiday fun. Then there are the WhatsApp messages and casual conversations with local friends that now include the line, “Well, if you don’t have plans?.?.?.?”
The year is winding down and, for many of us, that means our productive energy is waning. But it’s also the season for festivities and whether we are in the mood or not, there will be carols wafting through the stores and parties either to attend or to wriggle our way out of.
My feelings are mixed. More than anything, I’d love a week just to sleep. And then another week to process my emotions from this year, in which so much misery continues to play out in the world. But there is a part of me that thinks a good party right now might not be the worst thing. In fact it may be just the reprieve that’s needed: a timely reminder that life can still offer moments or hours of pleasure in the midst of ongoing sorrows.