Christmas Time

I really like Christmas. I mean, a LOT. Its not because I get presents, but is because of the season. First, its a b-day celebration for Jesus. What a wonderful thing to celebrate, the birth of the savior. Second, it celebrates what humanity is all about. The giving, caring, sharing, being together are all part of the season. You sing Christmas carols, drink egg nog, have family parties and generally just have an opportunity to be happy.

I do see that sometimes it is a stressful time of year because of what has happened to Christmas. Having little to no money for gifts or seeing others with lots of "stuff" and it not being enough for them. I sometimes get caught up in the idea of "buying" Christmas, but that is not what its about. I remember being a kid and the magic of the season. It was so special. Christmas songs, Christmas movies, and looking at the lights on the tree, all part of the magic of the season. As I see people get caught up in the $$ of Christmas, I remember a story from my father's youth that has become a family classic and will probably be an immortalized story within the family.

Years ago, when my father and his siblings were kids, they were a poor family. Unfortunately they lived in one of the richer parts of town. How and why, I don't think I'll ever know but they were definately out of place. Grandma was a divorced mother and during those times, it wasn't very common and was frowned upon. Talk about piling troubles on a family.

When Christmas time came, money was lean so presents were scarce. Grandma made I.O.U.'s for Christmas. These were little things like helping to do one of their chores or cleaning their room or something that was performed to help out the recipient of the I.O.U.

Now the kids, having received this, didn't understand the repurcussions of this gift. They went outside to see all the neighborhood kids playing with their nice, new, shiny toys and were upset.

Years later, they understood one basic fact from that Christmas. Christmas wasn't about toys and things but was about giving of one's self. Sharing with others who you are. Giving them time is more important than a shiney, tangible item. Love and charity are what Christmas is all about.

I've had Christmas' where were able to spend abundantly and other Christmas' where you had very little and had to get creative. Of all the Christmas' that I remember the most, the one's that stand out are not the times where we received a lot of gifts, but the times where we spent watching Christmas movies together, or singing (badly I might add) along with the Christmas albums.

I hope I am able to instill that into my own children as they grow up. I hope they will find more enjoyment in the season than in the gifts.

Merry Christmas, and in the immortal words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, everyone!"