Apparently there are filters on my email and social media accounts preventing any content from getting through without the words “gift guide” appearing somewhere in the text, meta description or ALT tag. This is the season of giving, and to help me prepare, my algorithm and the host of online retailers with whom I’ve ever … Continue reading The official guide to gift guides
Unlike every other internet influencer that has been serving up Christmas content since August, New South Essays observes a rigorous adherence to a holiday schedule that allows each celebration to have its own, dedicated season. With Thanksgiving now in the rear view, we can officially turn our attention to Christmas. And in this season of … Continue reading The definitive must-watch Christmas movie list
The element of surprise contributes mightily to the joy and wonder of Christmas. My celebration this year has been largely devoid of this crucial component thanks to technology. That’s right, efficient and convenient online tools have robbed me of another of life’s simple pleasures. I have very inefficiently and inconveniently labored to counteract these tools … Continue reading Not-so-secret Santa
Don’t “@me.” I know what “literally” means. It means “figuratively.” It used to mean “literally” but people don’t know what words mean anymore, so now it means the opposite. I am using the term ironically. Anyway, I digress. My point is Christmas is coming to a home near you and quickly. Seriously. Super fast. It … Continue reading Christmas is literally tomorrow
Every year when the holidays roll around I face an internal struggle between capturing the magic of the past and experiencing something fresh. No two Christmases have been exactly alike, but there has been enough of a thematic throughline that my boys have expectations that we do specific activities in a certain order: Thanksgiving, breakfast … Continue reading This year will be different
Going on a Caribbean cruise at Christmas time is an exercise in cognitive dissonance. Don’t misunderstand me, it was a fun exercise, and I highly recommend it. It’s just weird. Unlike Luther and Nora Krank, we did not elect to skip Christmas in order to go on a cruise, but like the Kranks, we discovered … Continue reading Cruising at Christmas
We have to be careful when we plan something special for our family because if we do it once, the boys will insist on making it a tradition. This is especially true of Christmas. We begin the season by decorating our home the weekend after Thanksgiving, often getting a jump by hauling the bins of … Continue reading Christmas traditions
If you are worried about how much something costs, you shouldn’t buy it. That’s been my philosophy for years, and I apply it most often during vacations. I don’t want to worry about how much a meal, accommodations or an activity sets me back because worry hinders my enjoyment. Why spend money on something you … Continue reading A random act of kindness
I hate moving. Moving is one of my least favorite activities because when you’re married to Carla, moving means painting. I hate painting. When we first got married we lived in an apartment with vaulted ceilings. Because of her need for color and beauty, she insisted we paint the rooms, forfeiting our security deposit and … Continue reading Four walls and a roof
Conventional wisdom is that folks with December birthdays have it the worst. Their special day gets lost in the run up to Christmas, and those with Dec. 25-31 birthdays are completely overshadowed. I think we have a contender for most under-appreciated birthday month people: that would be the January folks. After looking at our calendar for the … Continue reading Here’s to you, January birthday person
New South Essays 