Working in a zoo gift shop has certainly shaped the way I see Christmas, mostly in great ways. For one thing, I know so many more words to Christmas Carols now that I have heard them playing in the background nine hundred million billion times every time I work! I may have even sung them out loud on one of those rainy days when I didn't have any customers. I may (not sure if this puts me on the naughty or the nice list) have even used an animal candy tube as a microphone once or twice! It was a fun season to work in a gift shop and all the people that came through had a thing or two to teach me about the holiday spirit.

For one thing, I need to learn to be more patient with children or I am going to end up like that slightly drunk guy who let his toddler scream about a glowing snowflake wand for a solid five minutes. Am I judging this man? No. I didn't have the energy to tell the kid "no" either, so really, I am just realizing how difficult it must be to be a parent during the season of "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas!" Most kids aren't spoiled. I just think this time of year somehow gives them permission to be a little more demanding and the parents who handle this well are people I admire.

For another thing, warmth is invaluable. For someone who is quite capable of winning "The Freeze Out Game" (a game my dad invited when I was little, where we turned up the air conditioning all the way in his little car and the first person to say "I'm cold," lost), I welcome the chills of this season with open arms... that is until I am standing next to a metal cash box that I have to protect and it is 40 degrees outside and some toddler is screaming next to me about a snowflake wand. Suddenly those two guys from the DJ stand, who give me their extra hand warmers, are even better than the stunning Clark Kent. I wore a sweater and two jackets and was still cold in Alabama "winter" this weekend. I would never survive at the gift shop at the Statute of Liberty in December.

For a final thing, parents are totally awesome. So many things about working at a zoo gift shop make me think this, but at this time of the year it is even more vivid to me. I sat at my desk for an hour with absolutely no one coming in because it was pouring freezing cold rain outside, and then in walks this mother who braved the cold, wet winter to ensure that her little girl got a giant stuffed elephant under the Christmas tree this year. All of those parents who bring their children in bundles of jackets and scarves to see cool Christmas lights, show me just how much I miss my own parents, who did the same. No matter how cold or late or expensive, my parents made sure I had a fun Christmas and, for that, I am truly grateful. Working in a zoo gift shop during Christmas time was entertaining, but now I am excited to go back to parents' house and have my own holiday happiness!