Christmas brings out the best in us

There are only a few presents left to buy. Only one more trip to the post office to send a package that does not have a chance to get there on time. Before you think I’m horrible for not mailing presents earlier, I have already sent one box so it is not like I completely messed up.

This is to be another quiet holiday. The family Christmas will be celebrated later. All the shopping, decorating, cooking and planning will be finished soon. The days when Christmas started with immediate family, then progressed to running here and there so as to not shun either side of the family are done.

Eating two big meals in one day at odd times is a thing of the past. Preparing a meal that everyone can eat is now impossible. One has a gluten problem, another can’t handle lactose, somebody else can’t have sugar,  and one believes that corn syrup is the cause of all that is wrong with the world. The food sensitivity problems seem endless. Plus, one or the other is always on a diet.

Planning for a holiday meal used to be easy. Ham, oyster dressing, canned cranberry sauce, green beans and a selection of pies were the norm. There were other things on the menu but the staples remained.

The best part was not the food or even the presents. The best part was and still is getting together with family. We kids would be kicked out of the house while the adults talked. This was fine with us as we were convinced the adults were boring. There was a whole world out there and we were determined to explore every inch of it. Now we are the adults who tell the kids to go outside and play.

Sometimes I wonder why we celebrate Christmas when we do. It’s not that Christ has a birth certificate we can check. Many of our holidays are timed to coincide with ancient pagan rites. So what is the reasoning behind having a get together at the beginning of winter? I have no idea but humans have been doing it for thousands of years.

Christmas is not only about a baby who grew up to change the world. Santa Claus, snow, baking and, of course, presents are part of the celebration. The best part is that even if we are stressed beyond belief there is a feeling in the air that compels us to be a little nicer to each other. I have found that a smile and a Merry Christmas goes a long way even if one thinks that Christmas is an over-commercialized waste of time and money.

Although the only tree I put up this year is less than a foot tall and the presents won’t fit under it, it is still Christmas. The metal Santa I put outside keeps leaning over. He has less than a week before he is allowed back inside to be stored until next year.

Whether you celebrate the holiday or not I hope you enjoy all that the day offers, including a little peace and quiet and take a second to whisper, “Happy birthday, Jesus” even if you don’t believe.

Merry Christmas and may God bless us, every one.