Bah, Humbug

It's not even Thanksgiving yet, and I'm sick of Christmas already. Earlier each year, our heads get filled with obligations and lists of things to buy. As Michael Scott from the Office would say, it's a time to measure your value of others by how much you spend on them. Franken what? Myrrh? It's all about the gold.

Maybe Christmas and I got started on the wrong foot. I was an angel in the school play one year and the lights were too warm or my halo was too tight. Whatever the case, we all hit a long note at the end of a song and I dropped like a stinky little snowflake.

I don't remember what I got for Christmas that year.

It's probably the only Christmas I don't equate with what I got. I mean, Nerf fencing swords and diskmen are cool, but should those mark the defining points of a life?

Last year I looked up the origins of Christmas. A long time ago it was pretty wild. It was all about partying hard and getting others to do the same. Eventually it got out of hand and it was discouraged to celebrate it.

In the time of Dickens and like minded writers the "spirit of Christmas" was renewed with a sense of generosity. Remember scrooge? He gave to the poor in the end. He gave according to needs, not whims. At this point in history it seems so un American. I mean, where are the wonderful toys?

Somewhere between then and now the wires got crossed concerning generosity and indulgence. It's hard to tell the difference at times.

I stressed when I shouldn't have. Our school has door decorating contests, and a theme for decorating our doors. My Grinch reflexes kicked in, and I grumbled "something something wasting class time". I overlooked the positive.

Our theme is the twelve days of Christmas, but with a biblical perspective. We get to focus on the basics of why we are celebrating. It's like shaking the etch-a-sketch and starting over. I like it.

I seriously wonder how many times Jesus was tempted to return to earth just to say "Take my name off this holiday."

Maybe I need to go back, and see what needs to be done to focus on the basics. Maybe we all do.