Christmas meanderings and greetings
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Traffic jams in the Walmart
parking lot, stores filled with people looking for last-minute
sausage-and-cheese gift sets, folks wandering with thousand-yard stares and
sucking on candy canes.
I got a little Christmas shopping in Friday. It’s one of those years that makes me tear my hair out trying to decide what gifts to get. Well, if I had hair I’d tear it out. Don’t you just hate those Christmases when absolutely nothing comes to mind, and it doesn’t help to ask for ideas because the answer often is, “I don’t know.”
Granted, that’s sometimes my answer, too, because other than an Amazon gift card for my Kindle, it’s hard to think of anything. Like a lot of folks, if there’s something I need or want I usually just get it, or at least find a way to. That can be frustrating for Kim who starts telling me in November to don’t be getting stuff. That’s usually about the time we start asking each other what the other wants and we respond, “I don’t know.”
While my own enthusiasm for Christmas isn’t quite what it used to be, I do enjoy the memories of Christmases past, and without the assistance of a ghost. Kim and I became engaged at Christmas. During our first Christmas as a married couple we made our ornaments, a few of which still survive. Eli and Amelia’s first Christmases always will be special. It was a fun Christmas when Eli got a computer and we made him follow clues around the house to find it. Down in Texas, Christmas meant fireworks for some reason, and my family had some fun celebrating with a bang. Moments and memories like that make Christmas special.
My mind does tend to wander at Christmas. True, it wanders a lot the rest of the year, too, but this time of year I ponder on more seasonal appropriate ponderings. Such as that oldie but goodie, did folks really want a white Christmas before that song and movie came out?
Another point of meditation is why are some songs considered Christmas songs even without a mention of Christmas? They’re about winter, but don’t have one word about Christmas, Santa Claus, elves, not even orcs or hobbits.
Where’s anything about Christmas in “Frosty the Snowman?” Have you heard any mention of the holiday in “Walking in a Winter Wonderland?” Even that holiday favorite “Jingle Bells” doesn’t have a lyric about Christmas. Why don’t songs like that get airplay during the rest of winter? Lots of words about winter and snow and ice and getting frisky by fireplaces, but nothing about Christmas. Yet somehow they’re Christmas songs.
Have you noticed how hard some folks work to create a new “Christmas classic?” TV Christmas movies are churned out almost at a rate to rival a toy assembly line in China. And most of them are forgettable if not downright awful. I haven’t seen anything about that Christmas movie with Paul Williams playing the creepiest elf outside J.R.R. Tolkein’s imagination, but I’m sure it’s playing on some awe-inspiring cable channel.
Can’t somebody make a Christmas movie that isn’t sappy, overly sweet, predictable and boring? “Die Hard” is a better Christmas movie than all these put together.
Before I wrap up and gird myself for a last-minute dash into the shopping throngs, I want to send out season’s greetings to some special folks. Merry Christmas to the lovely ladies (and occasional gent) at Sonic who have kept me supplied with afternoon tea; to Ruth and Cindy whose help always is invaluable; to all the hard-working folks at all the local eateries for all they do; to the clerks and cashiers at the different stores who have always been friendly and helpful to me; to Tony, Amelia’s boyfriend who does so much for our family; to all the folks I work with here at Sixth and Hickory; to family and friends for all you do as well as the inspiration and encouragement you provide; and to all of you who read my ramblings week after week.
May all of you have a merry Christmas, or happy holiday, or wonderful Solstice, or fantastic whatever you celebrate.
I got a little Christmas shopping in Friday. It’s one of those years that makes me tear my hair out trying to decide what gifts to get. Well, if I had hair I’d tear it out. Don’t you just hate those Christmases when absolutely nothing comes to mind, and it doesn’t help to ask for ideas because the answer often is, “I don’t know.”
Granted, that’s sometimes my answer, too, because other than an Amazon gift card for my Kindle, it’s hard to think of anything. Like a lot of folks, if there’s something I need or want I usually just get it, or at least find a way to. That can be frustrating for Kim who starts telling me in November to don’t be getting stuff. That’s usually about the time we start asking each other what the other wants and we respond, “I don’t know.”
While my own enthusiasm for Christmas isn’t quite what it used to be, I do enjoy the memories of Christmases past, and without the assistance of a ghost. Kim and I became engaged at Christmas. During our first Christmas as a married couple we made our ornaments, a few of which still survive. Eli and Amelia’s first Christmases always will be special. It was a fun Christmas when Eli got a computer and we made him follow clues around the house to find it. Down in Texas, Christmas meant fireworks for some reason, and my family had some fun celebrating with a bang. Moments and memories like that make Christmas special.
My mind does tend to wander at Christmas. True, it wanders a lot the rest of the year, too, but this time of year I ponder on more seasonal appropriate ponderings. Such as that oldie but goodie, did folks really want a white Christmas before that song and movie came out?
Another point of meditation is why are some songs considered Christmas songs even without a mention of Christmas? They’re about winter, but don’t have one word about Christmas, Santa Claus, elves, not even orcs or hobbits.
Where’s anything about Christmas in “Frosty the Snowman?” Have you heard any mention of the holiday in “Walking in a Winter Wonderland?” Even that holiday favorite “Jingle Bells” doesn’t have a lyric about Christmas. Why don’t songs like that get airplay during the rest of winter? Lots of words about winter and snow and ice and getting frisky by fireplaces, but nothing about Christmas. Yet somehow they’re Christmas songs.
Have you noticed how hard some folks work to create a new “Christmas classic?” TV Christmas movies are churned out almost at a rate to rival a toy assembly line in China. And most of them are forgettable if not downright awful. I haven’t seen anything about that Christmas movie with Paul Williams playing the creepiest elf outside J.R.R. Tolkein’s imagination, but I’m sure it’s playing on some awe-inspiring cable channel.
Can’t somebody make a Christmas movie that isn’t sappy, overly sweet, predictable and boring? “Die Hard” is a better Christmas movie than all these put together.
Before I wrap up and gird myself for a last-minute dash into the shopping throngs, I want to send out season’s greetings to some special folks. Merry Christmas to the lovely ladies (and occasional gent) at Sonic who have kept me supplied with afternoon tea; to Ruth and Cindy whose help always is invaluable; to all the hard-working folks at all the local eateries for all they do; to the clerks and cashiers at the different stores who have always been friendly and helpful to me; to Tony, Amelia’s boyfriend who does so much for our family; to all the folks I work with here at Sixth and Hickory; to family and friends for all you do as well as the inspiration and encouragement you provide; and to all of you who read my ramblings week after week.
May all of you have a merry Christmas, or happy holiday, or wonderful Solstice, or fantastic whatever you celebrate.
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