Ready or Not Here I Come!

Only 3 more "sleeps" until the big guy comes, yes Christmas is upon us.  Men are scurrying to the Malls in desperate need of gifts, the frustrated look in their eyes is almost laughable.  Groceries are done and treats are out and ready for nibbling. We have attended the requisite number of parties and dinners, so we just have the wrapping to take care of and the car to fuel up and off we will go to the in-laws and my family's homes.

We have been very fortunate that my husbands family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve and my family on Christmas Day so we have managed to see both families for the last 15 years.  However, with this comes the travel. I keep hearing "we need snow for Christmas" and I keep shaking my head no no no!  You can tell the people who have little to no travel during the holidays they are the ones "Dreaming of a White Christmas" the rest of us who have some distance to go are the ones saying NO! we would love if we could order snow to fall everywhere but on the roads but we know that is about as probable as a fat man in a red suit squishing himself down our non existent chimney.  So each year I prepare just in case we have that one big snowstorm that makes driving impossible.

During one of the a fore mentioned dinners I got into a "discussion" with a friend of a friend about gift giving.  She was complaining about the amount of gifts she had to buy and the cost, how commercial Christmas is and how it is just a money grab.  I of course disagreed and turned to my friend on the other side and started to explain my outlook on Christmas and gift giving, for me it isn't really what you buy the person but the attempt to buy them what you think would suit them. I truly believe it is the idea of having to think about about the person you are buying for, focus on who they are, what they like, and shopping just for them.  How often does that really happen?

 Gift Cards don't allow this thought only actually shopping for your loved ones do.  My strategy on Christmas shopping is to start early so you have the time to take thinking about your recipient and avoid the stress of trying to do *all* your shopping in the 3 weeks prior to Christmas. I then turned back to the friend of a friend and smiled and explained that Christmas is only as commercial as you choose to make it, for me it is about the birth of Jesus, tradition, family and love.  I enjoy sending people Christmas cards so they know I am thinking about them.   I also mentioned that gifts are only as expensive as you choose to make them.  It isn't about what the person is *asking* for but about what you feel represents that person.  I was totally laughed at, and asked to take off my rose colored glasses.  I just can't believe how cynical people have gotten.


I pondered this later at home and my thoughts came back to the fact that people have stopped going to church and it makes me wonder if this part of the season has died.  The "peace on earth and goodwill toward man" is lost.  This small phrase captures a true feeling ..this phrase has stopped wars even if just for a day.  Has brought those of different faiths together whether they be Christian or not. I don't hear much of the "season of brotherly love"  in fact you hear the opposite.  People are afraid to wish others a Merry Christmas , or even a Happy Holidays in fear of offending.  It truly makes me shake my head, I have friends of many different faiths, even lack of any faith and they appreciate the thought of a Merry Christmas.

So this Christmas while you are dining and visiting with family, while you travel the hopefully clean roads,  you take the time to think of what Christmas means to you and about who you are spending the days with, think about each individual and who they are...I believe that this is what the season is about...