Boxing Day Glitterati

Yesterday I celebrated Boxing Day with the fam. Traditionally a UK-ish holiday of giving gifts to people you work with, we have made it our own. We actually punch each other on this day. I do not totally remember how we started doing it -- I think it was when we were in Nigeria and saw the day on someone's calendar. We did not know what it was really for, so we took advantage of the holiday to punch our siblings and cousins incessantly. Good times. Fortunately none of us bruise easily.

I had an experience last night which made me understand again how some gifts truly keep on giving. I was sitting talking with Leo and noticed that I had a piece of glitter on the skin between my big toe and the second toe. Glitter. Who thought of this product? It must have been a person with a serious vendetta against all the people they contacted and all they people those people would come in contact with.

The mentoring group I am involved with at school had us give our mentees a card with a message on it to share with the youth what we see in them. (Only the positive things) On the card was the "mascot" of the group covered in glitter. Covered in glitter. So much glitter that when the lady first offered it to me and told me I would have to write a message on it, I really wanted to tell her that I was resigning from the organization. I cannot stand glitter.

Once you come in contact with glitter, it never really goes away. I've never had it, but I hear when people get lice they have to wash really well -- their bodies, their combs, their sheets, their pillows, basically everything they come in contact with. Glitter is the same way, only worse. I delicately touched only the tip of the card, made sure no glitter stayed on the tip of my pen, handed the card off to someone even more cautiously. I came home that day and cut off more of my hair. Washed it very thoroughly. I have since washed the clothes I had on that day twice.

Despite all the precautions, almost two weeks later I come across a piece of said glitter on my toe. I have not received anything else (nor would I have accepted anything else) with glitter on it, so it is all from the contact with a gift that was supposed to stick with the youth and help them see themselves in a positive light. Unfortunately, it was me who had to have the experience of seeing the light from the TV and lamp glisten on the almost microscopic piece of metallic product on my foot.

Honestly, it made me want to celebrate Boxing Day with the creator of glitter. Or at least with whoever at school decided to decorate the cards in such a way.

Merry Christmas! Happy Festivus!! Happy Just-A-Chance-To-Spend-Time-With-Family-For-A-Few-Days!!

Happy Belated Boxing Day!