'Tis the season.....

For parties, engagements and the like. Which I love. Christmas seems to be a time for, at least when you overlook the maddening commercialization of the season, love. And that's the part of Christmas I love.



But what I don't love, and what is one of my biggest pet peeves, is children at adult parties. If the invitation says "Mr. and Mrs. Joe Bob" and there is no mention of Little Sally Sue, Billy Bob or family, do not, I repeat, DO NOT bring your child along to the event. This goes double if we are talking about a wedding. It seems that at least one wedding a year, someone brings their infant and the child screams during the entire ceremony. And the parents, for some inexplicable reason, decide that they don't want to miss the ceremony so it won't bother anyone if they just sit in the church with the screaming child. Don't get me wrong, I adore children. But not when I am trying to listen to my friends say their vows. As an aside, please turn off your cell phone before entering the church for a wedding. Because if it's not a child crying, it's a cell phone ringing to disturb a ceremony. Also, when the hosts tell you that their child will not be in attendance, that is a clear sign to you, the parent, that your child is NOT invited. Of course, maybe I say all this without a clear understanding of what it means to be a parent. Perhaps when I am a parent, I will take my child everywhere. But I will say this, my wonderful parentals did not take me to cocktail parties and the like if I was not included on the invitation. After all, you never can tell what type of party you might be subjecting your child to.....



Another thing that annoys me at Christmas time (and throughout the year if I'm being honest. Which I'm trying to be on this blog) is strollers in tight places. Examples- the fair, the mall. I get that you don't want to have to carry your child around. And that strollers are EXCELLENT for carrying your gift buying haul. But as someone who has neither child NOR stroller, I really don't like it when I can't walk around without bumping into a stroller. Or when you decide that your 3 year old should get to push the stroller and they keep pushing it into me. Here's my biggest question, and perhaps it shows the world that I don't have kids, but why do you want to bring your too young to enjoy it child to the fair? And how do you manage to effectively do your shopping when you have a screaming 2 year old? I'm just saying....

I will say this though. At the appropriate time and place, nothing is more fun that a child at Christmas time. This year, Junior League had PJ's with Santa at the Holiday Market. And those kids, in their adorable jammies and with the joy of Santa on their faces, could not have been cuter. And COMPLETELY appropriate!!