And now today, just looked at the calender and my eyes almost popped out of my head. Times goes by so fast. When you're not paying attention, it goes by faster, almost an insult. Or maybe a message. Notice as you get older Christmas gets different? Of course you noticed. But when you really stop and take a glance at how it changes, it's amazing. One thing of note this year .. I did shopping. My wallet and credit card both know full well that Christmas is only hours away .. While I was shopping I saw those people with the signs of desperation on their faces. The desperate shoppers that can't find what they want to get someone.. The looks of confusion as they pace back and forth in aisles, almost like the clerk will rush over and place in front of them the perfect gift. That never quite happens. What does happen, instead, is the customer's end result being a giant overblown item stuffed into their mini-van or SUV ready for the drive home. Only to get there and wonder aloud to themselves, why in the hell did I buy this crap? Junk yards across America filled with those items of yesteryear. The shopping experiences puts me in a Christmas mood--unless I can't find items that people want. I won't just buy to buy .. I want to have the right thing for the right person. When I think about it while standing in the checkout lane, I ponder about the existence of this holiday.. how centuries of Christians and Pagans led to a story of Jesus being born on December 25 under a giant star with oxen and snow coming down. Well, the snow was coming down, the oxen were just there. The story is nice. But probably not factual. Many experts, even those of religious context, would agree that Jesus was probably born in the summer, the Magi probably didn't bring 'gifts' for a few years, and there was probably no snow. But that ruins the story. And anyway, a lot of people think the 21st Century meaning of Christmas is Josh Grobin's album or Celine Dion's new album. Minus the air guitar ..

I actually don't mind the inaccuracies of the Christmas story. It's nice to have something at the end of a year to look forward to. It's the wrap up to times gone by, whether they were good or bad. I don't care that no oxen or goats surrounded Jesus when he first came into an Earthly presence. It's good to have Christmas before New Years, too. It's the final bow to the year. The last blow in the family. The final dinner... a joyous time. But not for all. Millions of people wake up alone Christmas day and go back to sleep in the same state at night. It's just another day to them. And for those who have nothing, it's a struggle to find the meaning of Christmas.. And if Jesus wasn't born in December and Americans just care about material possessions, what is the meaning anyway!? Linus, you need to help us.. The meaning of Christmas is most likely kindness.. Generosity. Who will be there for others when they need help the most. Who will drop a few coins into a Salvation Army tin? Who will volunteer.. who will help with words, actions, or prayers? A lot of people. Even those that care about material possessions can also care about their fellow man.. For all the bad in the world... for all the negative.. for all the evil.. there is good. There are positive things happening. For all the war, there is peace within humans. I'm reminded of my childhood.. getting ready for Christmas Eve mass and then dinner at my grandmother's house for the "Holy Supper" which consists of fish with no dairy or butter----we've added the butter since her passing. I am reminded of seeing cheesy decorations; luckily my parents never were cheesy with their decor on holidays. I am reminded of laughter, my childlike awe of the whole night. I am reminded of a few warm and a few cold Christmases. Some dry, some snow. My mother's perfume, my dad's cologne. Yes, this was big. The biggest day of the year for kids and adults. I am reminded of the year both my sister and I had a horrible flu and were stricken to the bed for Christmas day.. And now, I am reminded of Christmases watching younger members of my family grow to find their own memories.. I am fully aware that years from now I will remember 2007 and a wonderful first Christmas being married.. Here's to life. And Christmas present. And futures, since the past can't be changed now anyway. And here's to a Christmas filled with happy memories.. Here's to the lonely.. And even though Jesus never did get birthed next to an oxen in a snowstorm, Christmas is three days away. Shop til you drop. Or just drop the shop and find the real meaning of it all: Love, family, and friends. -Bryan Smolock Schmuckraker.blogspot.com December 22, 2007

Labels: Christmas, personal