Every
year most of us will
answer that annual
question of “How was
your Christmas” with
the same old refrain
of…”Oh, it was the
best ever….it was
wonderful.”
Now,
a lot of us are
lying through our
teeth since
Christmas isn’t
always wonderful and
in a lot of cases it
isn’t any fun. First
off, you are
challenged with the
demanding task of
going into crowded
stores to buy things
for your family and
friends that they
probably don’t want
and will never use.
Things like a book
on the “Care and
maintenance of your
toaster crumb tray”
or a DVD on the
Elmer Prentiss
surefire method of
check balancing. At
the same time you
get more shaving
lotion than you can
ever use in several
lifetimes along with
a tie you will never
wear and some socks.
Who gives socks?
I
don’t need any candy
or pies, I’m wearing
more of them than
I’d like at this
time. I don’t want
any more slippers; I
have enough as it
is. Don’t buy me
anything. I have
enough stuff. I
don’t want to move
any more stuff. You
probably have too
much stuff as well.
The
other reason this
time of the year is
so hard is the
stress it places on
families trying to
be in multiple
locations on the
same day. “We went
to your mothers’
house last year; we
have to go to mine
first this year.” So
instead of it being
a nice quiet
holiday, millions of
Americans put
themselves in harms
way by driving like
mad men around the
country trying to
make their mothers
and in laws happy on
Christmas Eve and
Christmas day. Kids
get confused since
no one is really
certain where and
when Santa is going
to land. Your
mother’s house or
mine? How can Santa
keep up with all of
us? This gets
compounded when
there is a divorce
and everyone is
trying to make it
around to all the
bases in order not
to make anyone mad.
Well,
if you were to ask
me how was my
Christmas, I can
admit to you it was
the best one I have
had in many a year.
First of all, we
didn’t decorate, no
tree, no lights. My
wife got sick the
week before and
didn’t really feel
like putting up a
tree a couple of
days before
Christmas. Then we
told everyone not to
give us any
gifts….just toys for
the grandkid…that
worked out better
than you can
imagine. The kids
were happy, we were
happy.
We
cooked all weekend
long and had company
for five days.
Everyone got plenty
to eat and came and
went as they
pleased. We played
Monopoly, dominoes
and cards….laughed a
lot and watched
enough football to
last me for the rest
of the year. The
main thing was, we
were all together
and no one was
stressed over credit
card bills or trying
to buy something
that none of us
needed. We had kids
in the house on
Christmas Eve Eve,
Christmas Eve and
Christmas day.
Everyone did what
they wanted and if
they had to go to
some other house for
an obligation, well,
that was ok as well,
food was going to be
on the stove when
they got back, no
big deal.
I am
looking at January
without thinking
about how much I
spent and what I
have to pay back. I
don’t have to try
and get the tree out
to the curb before
trash pickup. I
didn’t have bags of
wrapping paper and
bows saved for boxes
we’ll never use in
the future.
I was
able to sit by my
fire, read a book,
listen to my boys
and their wives or
girlfriends laugh
and play games. I
was able to hear my
granddaughter as she
opened her presents.
I was able to see my
wife sit and talk
with our kids and
catch up on their
lives.
This
time of the year has
always produced so
much stress for me;
it takes away from
the true meaning of
the holiday. I think
I have finally found
the answer to
keeping things under
control and enjoying
the time with my
family. It’s about
time.
Somehow, I think
that’s what the
season should be
about in the first
place.
Have
a good New Year.
