Ready

For Christmas, Channukah, Kwanza, Festivus, etc?  Not.  At this time of the season, virtually everyone in the supply chain asks if you are "ready" for whatever holiday you celebrate.  The usual answers range from "not quite" to "are you kidding".  Most of the women gleefully tell you they are finished (whatever that means) and most men, myself included,don't start thinking about it until about 5 days before whatever the date is.  Most people in the produce business hate the holidays because it means a lot of guessing about supply and demand, late trucks and tension which drains you of any holiday spirit.  The whole month of December is one long slog and New Year's day is the goal.  Not because of any holiday spirit, but because it signifies the end of a marathon of snafus.  So when the next person asks me if I'm ready for the holidays, I'll take a page from Scrooge's book and boil them in their Christmas pudding and bury them with a stake of holly driven through their heart.  Humbug!