Christmas

Christmas is only a few days away. Shocking when you think about how quick the weeks went by. The spirit of the holiday has escaped me again this year. I don't know why at this time of the year I am hit with a case of the grumps. It happens each year and I begin to despise the holiday itself. The true meaning of the holiday is the birth of Jesus Christ, which often get lost in the mist of Christmas presents and money problems. I think that is why I really don't care for the holiday as a whole. The Christmas holiday should be spent with family and friends, and it just is so commercialized that people avoid each other at the prospect that they were not able to buy someone that special gift. The season is not about giving as people recall, but it is about loving and caring and spending that special time with your loved ones.

I look on craigslist and see all the requests for help to supply gifts. I have been in the same shoes as these moms before and I decided long ago that I would not be in that place this year. Therefore, I made the decision to keep Christmas small. The kids chose four gifts that they really wanted, and I did my best to make sure that all four gifts were purchased. Thankfully they chose cheap gifts that were in my budget. I want my children to realize that Christmas is not about what is under the tree but about the people in their lives. I used to feel that the more gifts that crested my tree the better off we all were, and believe me the house has been fulled to the point of not being able to walk around. The kids would actually get board with unwrapping and half the gifts would stay under the tree unwrapped for a few days until they were in the mood again. How do you think that made me feel when I considered the idea that they had gotten too much. I think of the children that have nothing under the tree.

The bottom line is that we must celebrate love and peace and happiness instead of the gift cards, presents, and crafty gifts that we all want and love. Open each gift with the idea that you are a lucky person in this world if you have but one gift to open. With the bites of your dinner think about those that are eating scraps because money is oh so tight, and think about that mom that is out there crying because she has nothing to offer her children for the morning. Know that she probably was forced to reveal the truth about Santa Clause so the children were not disappointed with their belief in this Jolly man.

I hope this entry is not a downer to anyone but more of an eye opener in the end. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.