MY STORY OF CHRISTMAS TODAY AND THE PAST

 

                                     …The National White House Christmas Tree

 

Christmas is a “state of mind” where we indulge our earliest memories

 

You probably expect this to be an article about American politics, as that is what I usually do.

But this time, I will instead talk about this time of year that only repeats itself once at the end of every year.  That of course is America’s Christmas holiday.

For those in the nation’s Southern states, where  my sister and I were born, due to today’s climate change, the recent temperatures have hovered in the 60’s & 70’s, dipping below 50° only once or twice.  And that’s just to remind us that it actually is December

One must remember that Christmas isn’t a certain set of circumstances set by the climate outside. It is instead a “state of mind” by which many of us can indulge our earliest memories. It also allows our children to be swept into a world of snow, just with the gentle shake of a clear glass globe.

Oh, I know that Christmas can be an annoying exercise of excessive commercialism.  However, within the homes of those who share the tradition, this annual ritual of anticipation and delight is worth all the aggravation to the mature psyche.

So, I’ve decided to justifying my own attitude of the Christmas spirit based on what I recall of that from my youth.  And of course, that was many years ago.

Because our father worked  in construction across this great nation, we moved many times during our early school years.  Because of that, it was up to mom and dad to make Christmas as magical as it could be. 

During the holidays, our kitchen table always had bowls of fruit and nuts.  And because it was in the 1950’s, the place was many times filled with the Christmas songs of Bing Crosby, Perry Como and of course the country music stars of the time, singing the days popular Christmas songs.  (Who could forget: “Grandma got run over by a reindeer” or “Rockin around the Christmas Tree”)

During those days on Christmas eve, my sister and I were sent to bed early so that Santa would have time to build a bike, or install any batteries before the old father elf grew too tired to read the directions. 

But we’d both  lie awake with our best guesses as to Santa’s current location.

Finally, we allowed ourselves to fall asleep in the belief that Santa would skip our home if we didn’t.

When I later became a parent, I was determined to master the art of re-creating that magic of Christmases past. Fast-forward again, and now that I’m of grandparents age, unfortunately, I’m still not a grandparent.  Today, I am no longer expected to put on much of a show.  I guess I had probably started to consider having a minimalist approach to the season.  However, eventually my original Christmas soul prevailed.

Today’s , there’s a possibility that most of the family won’t see the many fruits of my Christmas labors, but that’s okay.  I know inside how I feel about the holiday season.

As I took the Christmas bins down from the garage rafters this year, I am wondering back when exactly I had first lost my positive mind about Christmas. I have realized that, at the time, I only decorated for Christmas for its own sake.  Today , I do so for the joy of creation and for the beauty of Christmas itself.

Understanding that many people haven’t had the Christmas experiences I’ve had, they may not have the wherewithal to indulge in their children’s and their nephews and nieces dreams.  For those, I would offer only this: “The spirit of Christmas is within each of us and available to anyone. What I learned so long ago through both all the tumult is that we bring our own cheer to the party and we create our own joy.”

Today, it is much easier to simply wish you all a happy and healthy holiday and a very Merry Christmas.

May your sorrows be few and your spirits bright.

Copyright G. Ater 2021