Looking For The Joy Of Christmas
Wednesday - December 07, 2005
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Del.icio.usWell, here it is again.
Christmas season is upon us and we are running out of time. Even though the merchants put out the decorations way too early and the commercials, ads and e-mails are barraging us with messages to take advantage of free shipping and holiday bargains, most of us are still behind schedule. And we’re feeling the pressure of looming deadlines.
There must be something going on here. Maybe we are so accustomed to feeling harried and rushed all year long, we just can’t give it up during the holidays. Maybe it’s because we’re accustomed to pushing ourselves to the limit. There’s no time to plan. And it’s not fun when you do find that smidgen of time. You’ve got a list a mile long, one day to shop, and you just know you’re going to spend way too much money. And oh, yes. Did I mention you’re running out of time?
Bah, humbug.
And I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty disgusted. Did you notice the Christmas decorations went up before Veteran’s Day this year? Used to be we moaned and groaned because the stores put the Christmas stuff out before Thanksgiving. Now they’ve topped even that. So we’ve got a longer period of time to feel guilty about what we’re not getting accomplished. And we’re still running behind schedule.
Have we lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas? Of course we have. It’s become all about X-boxes and flat panel TVs and the hot toy of the season. People wait in long lines for hours in front of big box stores, then they rush in and grab like crabs at discounted but expensive items. They even cut in line like naughty school kids and get into fights. Weren’t you appalled when you saw that on TV? Send those folks back to kindergarten. Teach them some manners.
It’s not supposed to be like this. Christmas is the day to celebrate the birth of Christ, but there is meaning to Christmas even for those who are not Christians. It has transcended religion and belongs to people of all beliefs. It’s supposed to be about love and giving and generosity, and those virtues are celebrated around the world.
The spirit of giving doesn’t mean spending a lot of money on fancy gifts and baubles for the house. It means generosity of spirit, love of family and neighbors, and giving of yourself.
This year, instead of rushing around like a fool I intend to stop, look and listen to the joys of the season. I would like to rediscover Christmas.
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