Holidays are stressful.
Gift shopping, mall hopping, money dropping, and through it all you’re planning in-law sleepovers, giant family dinners, and complicated travel plans.
It’s nice in these roaring revved-up moments when a complete stranger catches your eye and wishes you a heartfelt happy holidays.
Whether it’s the cashier at the grocery store, the receptionist at your gym, or the lady getting a perm beside you at the salon, it’s nice scoring that warm little season’s greetings to remind us we’re all chasing the same ol’ thing.
That’s right: Love, big hugs, family time, and cozy company right when we need it most.
AWESOME!
Photo from: here
23 Comments
December 22, 2009 at 1:28 am
I love this blog. And the holidays.
To all the people reading this blog whom I do not know (about 99.9% of you):
Happy Holidays!
December 22, 2009 at 1:34 am
awwww this is so true
December 22, 2009 at 1:57 am
Working in retail, I get this all the time.
I was the stranger last Christmas! It was very awesome!
December 22, 2009 at 2:10 am
True :D
December 22, 2009 at 5:42 am
couldn’t disagree more. but, then, i have a lot of bitterness associated with this holiday.
December 22, 2009 at 6:22 am
Strangers being friendly in general.
For about 8 years I lived in a really small village (in the UK, which is quite a different kettle of fish to what seems to be referred to as a village in the US) and just got in the habit of acknowledging people if I was walking to the post box or the pub or whatever even if I didn’t really know who they were. It’s good.
December 22, 2009 at 7:48 am
To diverge from the topic just a little:
Doesn’t that look like a karate snowman as the picture?
December 23, 2009 at 10:31 am
Haha – yes it does… ah-ya!
December 22, 2009 at 8:41 am
I agree this is wonderful. And reminds me of the feeling on my school campus towards the end of exams. Hardly anyone is left, so those people still around have a bond. Everyone I pass asks how you are, when you get to go home, and wishes you a Merry Christmas.
Its a good feeling :)
Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope you all have a great one.
December 22, 2009 at 8:41 am
Oh and happy holidays of course to those who don’t celebrate Christmas, sorry!
December 22, 2009 at 8:44 am
Merry Christmas!
December 22, 2009 at 9:14 am
Aww, holiday season. :)
December 22, 2009 at 9:54 am
Bang on! It’s lovely how a few kind words can just make your day.
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas everyone! :)
December 22, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Happy Holidays!
December 22, 2009 at 1:10 pm
…it’s more awesome when they say “Merry Christmas”
December 22, 2009 at 6:42 pm
unless you’re one of those people who has a fit because they didn’t say Merry Christmas to you instead. How very dare they. *cough*
December 22, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Also awesome: when near-strangers give you small gifts for Christmas without expecting anything in return and vice versa.
December 22, 2009 at 9:14 pm
I like when people are nice.
December 22, 2009 at 9:18 pm
I have to say I usually appreciate “Merry Christmas” more… but it’s the spirit of the thought that counts. ;)
December 23, 2009 at 10:33 am
Merry Merry Christmas Neil and all my fellow 1000 Awesome Things followers!! Have a Happy and Healthy New Year too!! xoxoxo
December 23, 2009 at 10:35 am
Happy Holidays everyone!
Don’t you just love it when you are the one that initiates it, especially to someone that looks a bit holiday stressed, you smile and just say something nice and the stress disappears from their face and they tell you the same back.
December 23, 2009 at 6:08 pm
happy holidays, stranger!
March 7, 2010 at 12:10 pm
It’s never really the greeting that warms me. It’s the sincere smiles. :)