Welcome to the holidays.

The time of year everything and everyone is scripted. When December hits, we study hard (or for some of us, not at all), we finish finals and cross our fingers for good grades, we start thinking about what to buy our family and loved ones for Christmas, and eventually Christmas and New Year’s come and go. We go to the same parties with the same people, and do the same things every year.

I think that needs to change.

Now I’m all for taking time to reflect and appreciate family and loved ones. But once you’ve taken the, I dunno, five minutes to do that, you might want to consider that these few weeks are all the freedom you’ll have before you’re shoved back into the fray of classroom warfare.

So why do we use the Holidays to act like a neutered church kid instead of acting like an escaped convict with only a few days of freedom left? You do realize that Santa’s not actually gonna hold out on you if you’re a little naughty, right?

Yeah, I know it’s cold out there. I know you’re busy, and maybe money is tight. But does that have to stop you? I mean for God’s sake, New Year’s Eve is the one night of the year even Bill Gaither could kiss a complete stranger and not feel bad about it (unless you’re in a relationship — in that case, tsk, tsk.)

Now let me be honest. This whole Holiday thing is probably just a metaphor for life in general. When I say, “Christmas break is short, so take risks,” what I’m probably really trying to say is, “Life is short, so take even bigger risks.” But that’s not topical, and I’m really in a Christmasy mood.

I guess I can sum up my point by quoting Aldous Huxley: “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.”

So go a little wild this holiday. Try something new. Talk to the girl/guy you think is cute behind the counter at a department store. Spike your coffee during Mass service you hate going to. Get really, really drunk with your best friends and tell them things you’ve never told anyone.

Just do something — Christmas only comes once.

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