‘TIS THE SEASON The holidays are here. I don’t know how, but they’re here. Snuck up on me this time … though it’s hard to say they could do that when I was well aware that the year was flying by at a record pace. They all seem to fly by now, don’t they? We keep our lives so busy and full that a year seems more like a month, and a month seems like five minutes. But if you think about it that way, it’s too easy to go into panic mode and think of all the things you haven’t gotten done. Maybe that’s why the holidays always seem so rushed – they signal the end of yet another year, and we haven’t accomplished half of what we want to. So we go into overdrive, tying up loose ends, frazzled to the max, and we have to create happy holidays for ourselves and our loved ones – that means shopping endlessly and agonizing over whether you’ve purchased just the right thing for everyone in your family. And spend lots of money. And we’re supposed to be cheery throughout all this? Fortunately it’s the season for lots of cocktails. Cocktails when you get home, cocktails when you go out, cocktails when you’re shopping. Everyone’s hurting at least a little this season; not the least of whom are the retailers. So they try to get us motivated with special trunk shows, presentations, and style shows … and a cocktail or two. Cocktails are great when it’s time to give money to someone else. There’s hardly a nonprofit out there that doesn’t hope that guests at their fundraiser get hammered and write a larger check than they meant to. So, naturally, this season, we find that guilt catches up with us and we give generously – maybe too generously for our bank accounts, but not for the nonprofit’s account. Talk about someone who’s hurting this year, and yet – many of the fundraisers I attended this year were the best ones yet, as far as money goes. Fortunately for them. We haven’t been stingy, at least. While the world has seemingly hacked its budget in half, we still have to give, because we all know that we could be worse off than someone else. And we know if we’re suffering, then they are, too. So forget about yourself this season and think of someone else who is not as fortunate as yourself; maybe even give a gift to charity in the name of the person you’d usually buy a gift for. Remember, a purple cashmere twinset could buy a lot of meals or services for the truly needy.
DOMAIN-EERING February 2010 is the opening of the Domain II. You’d have to say that Domain I looks pretty successful, and Domain II will bring an even wider variety of shopping and services to Austin. With a three-level Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and a 340-room Westin Hotel, I suspect that the Domain will eventually become a private city all its own.
SHOP CHOP Saturday, Dec. 5, 8pm-12mid, the always worthy Project Transitions presents its 21st annual Holiday Swing at the Dell Jewish Community Campus (dance lessons at 7pm). For further info, go to www.projecttransitions.org… Enamelist and fashion designer Leigh Elena Navarro shows her exquisite enameled jewelry from 5 to 8pm, Tuesday, Dec. 8, at Solid Gold Boutique and Day Spa (www.solidgoldacademy.com). The El Paso native sells her Leighelena collection across the country, too. Bring a donation for Toys for Tots and receive a 20% discount. For a sneak peek, go to www.leighelena.com.
This article appears in November 27 • 2009.