It is that time of year again! Our family, friends, and neighbors have all… started driving like they own the road and would run down their own grandmother for a decent parking space. Yes, the holiday season makes me a bitter curmudgeon – can you really blame me? I work near the largest mall and shopping center in all of Baltimore and live near the next largest. In addition, this is the time of year that we are all poignantly reminded of the tight financial situation of others, while expected to ignore our own finances completely, which are usually pretty tight as well.
To compound this, there is always someone who makes religion an issue during this time of year. Fringe Atheists and Christians start making a big stink about the fact that it is Christmas time again, as if it didn’t happen last year or the year before that. These fringe Christians start by trying to force everyone to say “Merry Christmas” and fringe Atheists begin their campaign to ban depictions of baby Jesus from public places. After that, the fringe Christians will call all Atheists “secularists” and claim that they are trying to ruin Christmas, while the fringe Atheists call Christians “delusional” and claim that they are trying to push religion. Media then picks up on the name calling and run hour long sensationalist programs on the television machine about how divided our country is regarding religion, which serves only to further divide the country regarding religion.
There are only two bright spots for me during the holiday season; Thanksgiving and New Years. However, both of these bright spots are marred by the madness that ensues in between. In my experience, Thanksgiving and New Years bring out the best in people, while the Christmas shopping season brings out the worst. Can I be saved from being a Scrooge and a Grinch my whole life? Yes… and the answer is simple.
The answer is family, friends, and loved ones. Ignore the religious rhetoric and the ramped consumerism that make these holidays “modern” and return these holidays to their origin; family, friends, and loved ones. If everyone in this nation just focused on spending time with family, friends, and loved ones, instead of all the bullshit that has tainted the Christmas holiday in the recent twenty to thirty years, perhaps even I will enjoy it.
This means, as a Christian, realizing that not everyone shares your religious beliefs. This means, as a non-Christian, being tolerant of a religious holiday celebrated by the majority of English speaking people. This means not getting caught up in how little or how much you gave and received in gifts – not spending more than you are able so you regret it the following year. This means driving patiently and courteously, treating other drivers the same way in which you would want to be treated. This means drawing those who matter most to you close and reminding them of how much you think of them.
I’ve had one hell of a year – I think I deserve this much. Don’t screw up Christmas for me. Make it about family, friends, and loved ones; the rest of it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans anyway.
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YES YES YES! My sentiments exactly!
(That is all.)