Christmas is a great concept sometimes being ruined in its execution. For some reason, the great idea of peace, love and goodwill towards men gets translated into vein-popping stress, frantic mobs in shopping malls, massive traffic jams, and mass hypocrisy as you feign camaraderie with people you’d rather push off a building. Christmas has become a holiday of obligation, underscore obligation. You have to give, give, give, and even if everyone says it’s the thought that counts, the terrible truth is that no one really wants another scented candle. The funny part is, I believe the source of stress for some people is because of that feeling that you are obligated to get everyone something or to be in some place for Christmas that you do not really want to. It does not help when some people are very hard to buy gifts with. I sure have a couple of people I know that fits that category.
As for idea that the birthday celebrant preached, we still haven’t gotten them. In Jesus’ own birthplace of Bethlehem, goodwill to all men had to be enforced with guns. All over the world people still kill each other over religion. I’m no guru, but I don’t think that’s what Jesus meant by “Love one another.” Then again, there’s a thriving industry in ripping off Jesus and the Buddha, and labeling the products “New Age.”
Many of you will call me a Grinch. That’s original. You will dismiss my holiday musings as the ranting of a bitter person who’s forgotten what it’s like to be a child. Hey, do you really think your children believe in Santa Claus? Maybe you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a child. Children survive their childhood through cunning: they convince you that they are entirely your creatures. You want them to believe in Santa Claus? They will, in order to humor you. Why disappoint your elders, and if you can get a PlayStation 2 in the process, that’s even better.
If your children do believe in Santa Claus, I’m afraid I have some bad news for you. Your kids are gullible. On one hand this means they’ll believe anything you say and obey your rules, at least until they hit puberty.
It does not help that my day of birth coincides on the same day too. I remember when I was a kid, I could not figure out which one of my gifts is for my birthday or for Christmas. But then, most of the time I just get one for both. Talk about being short changed.
In a season packed with false cheers and fake plastic Christmas trees laden with styrofoam snow and fragile trimmings I hope you find something real.
Bah! humbug!
Picture of the day
As if your holiday season is not stressful enough, why not add more to that listening to C3P0, R2-D2 and a bunch of bad actors trying to sound like droids sing Christmas carols to you
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