![\"Let](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screen-Shot-2023-12-19-at-4.19.39-PM-e1703031633763.png\")
<\/a>Let me cheer us all up with this stunning painting by Thomas Kinkade.<\/p><\/div>\n
But, even though we\u2019ve done even less<\/em> for the occasion than we have since that horrible Christmas day a dozen years ago, I actually do think it\u2019s been a little less painful for us this year. (I hope that knowledge helps all of you who may be earlier on in your own grieving process.)<\/p>\n I think that our\u00a0real<\/em>\u00a0lack of celebrating this year is due a bit more to other factors–laziness, having to still deal with business activities, and just plain old being tired from lack of sleep, as opposed to because of the depression of losing my mother on the exact date.<\/p>\n Mr. X’s favorite literary character, Mr. Fezziwig from A Christmas Carol, who is the kindest boss ever!<\/p><\/div>\n But, despite not having our abode be as decorated and full of fun as it was for the many years before that awful fateful day, we have been having enough good times this year. And, best of all, we\u2019ve been doing it all with just each other<\/em>, which is a rarity. Since Mr. X has never<\/em> loved going out, I’ve usually gone to most every event with my friends. Or he and I have hosted groups in our home. But it’s rare to go out as just the two of us.<\/p>\n So what fun it’s been that, other than one private holiday party that a friend took me to as\u00a0her<\/em>\u00a0guest a couple of week-ends ago, Mr. X has been doing everything else with me this season! Trust me\u2014that\u2019s a major gift unto itself! The last time he came out with me this many times in one month was over two decades ago; it was a week we remember because he accompanied me to events four nights in a row<\/em>!!! It was unbelievable! I knew what it felt like to be a normal couple for those few evenings. I loved it, but I\u2019m actually grateful that he\u2019s not into the same often-not-fabulous events that\u00a0I<\/em>\u00a0am because I love getting to see my good buddies so much. As Bette Midler so smartly sang, \u201cYou gotta have friends\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Just a fun colorful picture to make your holiday spirits bright.<\/p><\/div>\n That all brings me to recommending our favorite holiday events to my SoCal peeps, to make your<\/em> season brighter. And they’re all fun with the fam, with your friends or significant other, or even alone!<\/p>\n The absolute one event you must<\/em> see this holiday season, as in all the past years, is the wonderful musical (or sorts)\u00a0Love Actually Live<\/em>\u00a0at the Wallis in Beverly Hills. (You can read my full review right here: itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/theatre-love-actually-live-2023<\/a>.)<\/p>\n In second place is the jaw-dropping and hilarious Santa’s Circus<\/em> at the Montalban in Hollywood. (Here’s my review: itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/live-production-santas-circus<\/a>.)<\/p>\n And close behind those two is the super-fun\u00a0A Christmas Story, The Musical<\/em> at the Ahmanson in downtown LA. (And here’s my review for this one: itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/theatre-a-christmas-story-the-musical<\/a>.) You have until near the end of the year for all three.<\/p>\n Here’s another lovely holiday image for you.<\/p><\/div>\n Our other main activity, (outside of our obsessive sports-watching, mainly football this year,) is watching the (mostly) goony Hallmark holiday movies. Believe me\u2014I never would have thought of this myself! Mr. X came up with it in 2017, I believe to distract me from my sadness about my mother. In many cases, we practically force<\/em> ourselves to watch them, (because I love that he created the tradition,) and then we rate them. I\u2019ve noticed that this 2023 crop is not as good as many of the offerings from previous years, but we still have one more week to find some goony gold.<\/p>\n And on Christmas Day, we will once again be joining our great friends, Fred Deni and Jim Crystal, for Christmas dinner. I credit them with helping me get over the initial holiday hump, that very next Xmas after losing my little mo, by inviting us to dinner and making their event classy and low-key as opposed to overly festive. I look forward to their very generous hospitality every year.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t really know what else is in store for us this Christmas Eve week-end and the ensuing few days. But I can tell you what I\u2019m\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0going to be doing. And that\u2019s\u00a0writing<\/em>! I need a few days off. (But no worries\u2014there will not be any\u00a0missing articles here on INAM<\/em>\u2014I’ve planned ahead. So please join me back here on British Boxing Day.)<\/p>\n But if you are so inclined, there is one tiny, doable gift I\u2019d love to receive from all of you, and you don\u2019t even have to leave the very device you\u2019re reading this on to do it! My wish is for you guys to follow me on any and all of my social platforms, (if you don\u2019t already.) And I hope it will be a gift for you<\/em>, as well, because now you won\u2019t have to go looking for my new columns\u2014they\u2019ll all come right to you! How\u2019s that for a win-win, which we can all use right about now?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s all the info you need to follow me:<\/p>\n X, the former Twitter: @MajorCelebrity<\/strong><\/a><\/a><\/a>
\n Facebook Fan Page: It\u2019s Not About Me TV<\/strong>
\n Instagram: majorcelebrity<\/strong>
\n YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCF7mwI2jwcB2xB9dBCBxLZg<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n