Christmas approaches and I am not in the spirit. Period. Like most other holidays, I've seen it transform into a huge over commercialized production and I want no parts of it. Don't get me wrong- I always appreciate having food and family abound, but I get that every Sunday anyway. What bothers me most is how lost most people are on what Christmas is truly about. In the past few weeks- I've heard some of the most ridiculous viewpoints on gift giving and the holiday on the whole.
Someone I know received a text message inquiring if they knew when their birthday was. Apparently, those who got the day wrong are off the twice-checked list for a present. Another person I know penned a carefully thought out wishlist of what they specifically wanted from certain people. Also, when a grab bag was suggested for what I call my ever-expanding family, one member suggested everyone write down three things they wanted under their name to ensure everyone got what they wanted. Huh? What happened to simply giving something from the heart? Granted, my pockets are not as deep as Christmases past- but it has nothing to do with that.
I see nothing wrong with offering up cooking for someone once a week for a month or taking care of some other minimal task someone may not have time to do themselves. Call it cheap if you want to- but I call it thoughtful. I don't mind receiving handmade gifts or just some small token that shows how much the giver thought about me when they spotted it. I still have drawings and little notes my nieces and nephews crafted for me when they were much younger. I can't say the same for that iPod I got two years ago. I can't even make wishlist because I don't know what I want until I see it- and then I just buy it for myself.
By no means am I a very religious person. It doesn't ruffle my feathers that the Christ in Christmas has been recently replaced with an X. It's easier to write. Eff it. I don't care that most businesses wish people "Happy Holidays" instead of Merry Christmas so as not to offend anyone. I'm a borderline nihilist on those matters. But what does bother me is the fact that some people think they cannot show their faces somewhere on December 25th without a gift in tow or worse; believe they won't be receiving anything so why show up. I can only shake my head. The older I get, I understand that Christmas is found in the heart- not under a tree. That is the spirit I'll be in when the actual day arrives. Later for braving the crowds at the mall and fighting over parking spots. I know this much: On that day I will be surrounded by the people who matter most to me. Parang will be blaring. Food will be plentiful. Smiles will be shared. That's all I need.
1 comment:
Loving this! I refuse to get down and dirty with all of the Black Fridays and Cyber Mondays. I just don't have the patience, and I just don't want to "sell out".
I have been in a constant debate with friends of mine for years about whether people who are not Christians should celebrate Christmas or not. At this point, we have turned Christmas (or X-mas) into a completely Pagan holiday, so why not celebrate if they choose to? To me, Christmas is about taking the time out that we normally do not take in order to spend time with ones we love. The gifts are the icing on the cake. Much like you, I have a closet full of Dollar Store gifts given to me by the little people in my life. My husband's favorite gift last year was a key chain my nephew got him from the Dollar Store, simply because it was from a 5 year old who had a VERY valid reason for his choice in gifts. We should all be 5 again.
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