Christmas 2009

I enjoy Christmas, but at the same time I will be glad when it is over. We have gotten far, far away from what Christmas is all about. It isn't about shopping, spending money and consumerism. It isn't about buying expensive gifts for people we hardly know. Gift giving is based on the premise of the Three Wise Man bearing gifts for the new born King.

We spend on wrapping paper that gets torn to shreds, ribbons and bows that soon find their way into the trash, toys that kids frequently break and destroy on Christmas morning.

Money well spent could go into a college fund for children, teaching to give rather that to receive. Something that is needed or lasting to will create a memory to cherish will

be of greater value in years to come.

When I was small we used to string popcorn and make chains out of colored paper and my mother would make stars out of the foil wrappers from cigarette packages. We had very little in the way of presents, but I remember those Christmases better than any others. Now, we live in a gimme, gimme society where all good things come from Wal Mart or other big stores and the card is king, not the new born King. We have forgotten, therefore we lose.

There is nothing wrong with giving or receiving on Christmas day. It is the spirit of the day that counts, not the number or size of the presents under the tree. The best gifts are the gifts of the heart. We have one grand day of fun and debt and than forget about the message until the bills arrive next year.

I finally got out and finished my little shopping chores. I spent about $20.00 replenishing some of the items I used up. I am glad it is done because tomorrow we are supposed to have heavy rain and thunderstorms. I am supposed to go to a small gathering tomorrow, also. I will take a bottle of homemade wine as a gift. Not expensive, but I put some work into it.

END