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Dec. 16, 2004 ‘Tis that time of year, again, when the hustle and the bustle is a hundred times worse than usual. Parents drag their screaming children around at all hours of the day trying to finish that last bit of Christmas shopping. Malls are also open at all hours to accommodate such people, and even with these extended hours, it’s still difficult to find parking. Bah Humbug. Every year my husband and I run through these crowds wondering how they do it. How do they go around chasing the holiday deals to find the perfect presents for all the people they have to buy for? I can’t do that. I go in, get the gift I think would be best suitable, and get out. If it were up to me, everyone would receive a gift basket that I made, and a “Merry Christmas, and good will towards all men”. We currently have no children, so we don’t have that magical joy of carrying around frantic children, and forcing them to visit Santa Claus. So each time we go through the mall, it’s a treat to observe the craziness of the moment, watching the parents handle the children, looking forward to having our first child…well, maybe next year. But why go through such crazy extents to buy all these ludicrous presents, when first of all, Christmas isn’t about buying gargantuan stereo systems as gifts, or that fur coat for the Misses or the XBox (or whatever the new video games are) for little Jim. It’s to spread good will towards men. This means kind words, a nice smile, or a small token of appreciation, like a bottle of wine or chocolates. You can even get really neat teas, and fancy gift baskets for a humble price. Spend the money on the children, but don’t go and overdo it. If you do, what do they have to look forward to? I found that you have to at least be able to say to your kids, “I always wanted that but I didn’t get it.” It just makes you more humble in your life. My challenge to all of you is to donate something to your poor counterparts and share that good will that I know you have inside of you. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on yourselves, maybe take some of that money and pass it on to the less fortunate. I’m sure that would be the seed of bringing back the Christmas Spirit in all of us instead of the nasty remarks which I recently heard, “Son, you stick yourself right behind this lady, and don’t move. I’ve had two people budge in front of me already!” And that was about…hmmm… I’d say 3 weeks ago; Christmas hadn’t really started and people were beginning to get grumpy with the beginnings of the Holiday decorating season. So, let’s take the “Bah” and the “Humbug” out of our daily lives, put a cheer onto those fellow neighbors and friends. Help someone out you usually wouldn’t, even if they are not so nice in return. That’s okay. They just don’t know how to take the kindness of others. It’s not their forte but they sure will appreciate it inside. Next, make your holiday easier—don’t go overboard with Christmas shopping and try to enjoy the time with the people you really care about. That’s what truly is important in life. Not the random person who hits you from behind with their shopping cart (yes, that’s one of my recent ones that happened to me) and not the person who pushes you out of the way when you’re choosing your tomatoes (yes, that happened to me just last Saturday); what’s important is that you let the small things go, and just enjoy yourselves, and make the most of the holiday season. Maybe I’m just too Canadian, but that truly is the spirit that I pass on to you. Till next time. ------------ About the author: Barbara has been writing short stories for the enjoyment of friends and family for years. She has published three books, Collection, Collection II, and Pawn: A Novel. Collection II is currently undergoing publication and will be availabe January 2005 through most internet booksellers. Barbara lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and enjoys writing, reading and tending to her other field: accounting. Website: http://www.authorsden.com/barbaraannamarjanovic Email: blueswan28@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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