Here we are again at the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year".......the endless, goofy holiday-themed commercials full of false good cheer, the endless lines at the mall or dept. stores, and the endless repetition of the same old songs, over and over and over...only in different voices and (with luck) arrangements. Ho Ho Ho. MERRRY CHRISTMAAAAS!!
The endless Christmas specials, so many repeated year after year. The endless parties, where people meet and greet, again with the false cheer, eat way too much crap and get bombed out of their minds, all to celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Stress and depression are two of the most-talked about maladies of the Christmas season. Some people just can't seem to cope with their inability to get Jimmy or Sally that one special toy, or to find Aunt Tillie that one certain gift.
The holidays are stressful, no doubt about it.
But hey, lighten up, folks.....for those of us here who believe, this really IS the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
I, myself, have never had a problem ignoring the more stressful side of the holidays; I just go with the flow.
I simply enjoy the spirit of the season and remember, despite all the commercialism and hype, why it is that we celebrate it to begin with, or rather, ~Who~ it is.
That keeps me focused. I'm able to celebrate and enjoy it without it being ruined by all the clutter we've attached to it over the last few centuries.
"A Christmas Carol", done well, always brings a tear to my eye, when Scrooge wakes up repentant of his old ways. "O Holy Night", sung by someone who knows what they're doing, Luciano Pavarotti, for example, is my favorite carol. It, too, can bring tears.
I remember well the first time the real meaning of Christmas hit me, right between the eyes.
Some will laugh at this, and maybe it is funny, but it was when I was 12, and was watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Charlie had asked, in frustration
"Can't anybody tell me the real meaning of Christmas? (or something along those lines). Linus replies "Sure, Charlie Brown," and walks out onto the stage.
"Lights, please......And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. When Lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them, and they were sore afraid, but the Angel said 'Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great Joy, which shall be to all people...for unto you is born this day, in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord..............." As he finishes, he walks back to Charlie Brown. "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." Charlie takes his little tree outside into the cold, and all ends well with a cheerful cry of "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!" by the whole gang, and a hearty rendition of "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" as the credits roll.
Inspired by Linus's speech, which I'd listened to every year, but only then truly "got", picked up my grandma's bible and read the Christmas story from all three, Matthew, Mark and Luke.
From that moment on, Christmas ceased to be just a cool holiday where I got presents and got to eat lots of good food and treats like cookies. From that point, I saw it as the celebrated birthday of Jesus Christ, no matter how the World muffled the message with commercials and wrapping paper and sales.
Yes, I know very well that He wasn't REALLY born on that day. Many theories make the rounds as to why the Church chose December 25th, but who cares? Nobody REALLY knows when He was born, so they picked a day, maybe at random.
I love the lights, the music, the traditions, the fellowship, everything.
So, the cynics can whine about commercialism and all the "annoying" trappings of the holidays. Let them revel in their misery.
I love it all. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, indeed."