The New Year has started, which means it is time to hit the stores and get ready for happynewyearvalentinesdaysaintpatricksdayeasterfourthofjulythanksgivingchristmas once again…seriously?

Fighting a recent attack of the flu, I lay in bed and thought about all the holidays we live through and chuckled, seeing a group of kids yelling out “Halla” to their confused friends. Now if you don’t get the urban slang, stick with the Jewish loaf I am sure you do know, because frankly that “Challa” offers just as much celebration, and since any holiday needs bread to get it off the ground these days, you might actually be ahead of the game.

The fast paced calendar driven life we live is actually nothing more than a shout out, meet and great, break bread go buy me something chain of 24 hour links. Traditions and values have all but disappeared and those that haven’t are so diluted avoiding anything religious, moralistic or comical, that they are nothing more than dressed up versions of a regular day. I am sure Hallmark is shivering in their boots.

We start each year wishing hope to all, and then wish love, followed up with a drink and some luck. After that, trying to avoid any religious artifact in the room, we bless people with a chocolate bunny, and set off fireworks all but forgetting the country we honor. Before we know it, time to party with monsters, eat ourselves silly and feel obligated to spend money to prove we love one another. In a nutshell, we do way too much wishing and celebrating just for show.

There are of course additional dollar assigned holidays tucked in between, like birthdays, anniversaries, Mothers Day and Fathers Day, Grand Parents Day, Bosses Day, Secretaries Day, and banks are closed for who really cares days. However, those are more optional…especially as you age, forgetting who you are, or who helped get you there in the first place…you know…Halla!

I would really like to have a year when there was less of a rush down the aisle of commercialism, fake compassion or self-serving gratification. How about a year when we start honestly wishing those around us the best, and stick to it by checking in with them, celebrating the undocumented days and even being thankful they are in your life? Who needs a card, a gift box or an invitation to hug or offer a smile, share a table or involve someone in your life? It is just too easy anymore to buy a $20 gift card, follow up with an email and say I love you, go get yourself something special on me.

If any of us took a step back we’d see that the I love you should be because we want someone in our lives and not just on the Internet.  How satisfying the year would be if we shared and cared who we are with one another up close and personal. But then again, it is easier to spend the bread than break it, and who needs a hug when you can just Halla.