Merry Christmas

It is too easy to treat every day just like every other, but I do like to change it up once in a while with a special occasion. This is one I have been around all my life. No longer believing in the Little Town Of Bethlehem story has not diminished it much for me.

I like everyone saying, “Merry Christmas”, sharing smiles and goodwill towards all of us.

I enjoy sharing a widely understood non-work-day with friends and family. We KNOW nobody is working today. We are not supposed to be productive. Just relax and enjoy the companionship… unless you are the one who feeds the tribe. Hopefully we all do make sure she is having a wonderful day.

I set up well in advance. I built much TLC into a couple of woodshop projects that the aformentioned chef will REALLY APPRECIATE today and for hundreds of days into the future. Christmas is a great excuse to bring them to her in an orgy of giving. Those and a number of things she would not treat herself to, but will enjoy … bonus points if they are inexpensive (not counting my time) while being highly appreciated.

Thrift Store and yard sale finds are good at this. Hand-made nearly always trumps store-bought. Successfully selected or created to serve the person who is receiving it is the real ticket regardless of the source.

I do not like the Commercial XMas. I noticed decades ago that many X-out the original reason for this day being special. Somehow I cannot eliminate the name Christ out of the cultural reason this day is unique in American (North, Central and South) cultures. Notice the graphic on the right where the artist removed the T for the same effect. Who is Chris, and why does he have a mass in his honor?

The silly story about flying reindeer and so on is a shared bit of goofiness that most agree to play along with… kind-of-like pretending politicians are smart enough to make rational laws we must live with.

Tunes celebrating the beauty of winter are part of the package, along with religious and Santa tunes, all simple little diddies, and widely known.

Stuff N Things do not make it for me, but coming up with an appreciated treat warms my heart … the giving apparently my greatest joy.

There does seem to be an element of peace that surrounds this season. If this is a result of the whole package, so be it. I don’t want to break that system.

Christmas is cool for me in that way.