Welcome to Dementialand is on hiatus until 2016.

In the meantime, I wish you tremendous holiday season. I’m not going to battle about language here. I accept well-wishes in any form. I’m not Jewish, but I’d rather you tell me Happy Hanukah with a warm smile than give me a sharp elbow or a middle finger during holiday shopping in the toy aisle. (On a related note, I really want to try matzo.)

Don’t forget to do something you enjoy over the next few weeks. Don’t forget to be nice to other people. Don’t forget to buy a couple of generic gifts for the awkward moment when someone presents you with a present…and you didn’t think to buy them anything.

And don’t forget that the holidays are not a competition. It is okay if your sugar cookies look like they were decorated by fourth graders. Own it. And, if you can’t cook, remember that someone has to volunteer to bring the red Solo cups to holiday gatherings. Show up with some adorable paper plates. Make it your thing. And if you don’t do that Elf on a Shelf deal, bless you. I still don’t understand it.

If you visit a nursing home this holiday season, take a few minutes to say hi to residents who might not have visitors. If it’s a tough visit, cry on the way home, not at the nursing home. If you have a loved one who is nearing the end of their life, don’t worry about making this the best holiday season ever. It probably won’t be, but try to smile and laugh as much as possible anyway. Don’t feel obligated to make it Lifetime movie sentimental. Just do the best you can. Trust me that it’s enough.

And if you’ve ever made a positive comment about my blog, if you’ve subscribed, if you’ve ever liked it on Facebook or shared it, or even if I’ve written something that you relate to and you’ve nodded knowingly, THANK YOU. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. Writing this blog has been a journey for me, and I’m grateful for everyone who has been a part of that journey. You mean the world to me.

To those of you who have made negative comments or sent me critical emails, I’m gonna be the bigger person here and thank you as well. A part of this journey for me has been developing thicker skin. I’m getting there. Now I only spend one day obsessing about your critical (and sometimes mean) comments. If I think they are gonna keep me up at night, I take a Bendryl before I hit the hay. I used to focus on them for about a week. We are all works in progress, right?

Oh, and one more thing…When you catch your cat on the counter licking the turkey or your relatives arguing about Starbucks red cups/Donald Trump/gun control/gay marriage, remember that holiday horrors often make the best memories. I would not have watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation twice in the last week if everything had gone right for poor Clark Griswold. I bet Clark and Cousin Eddie still laugh about that cat electrocuting itself by chewing on those Christmas lights.

See you in 2016.