Finding Christmas

**Warning - a disjointed post lies beneath. The Christmas related ideas contained within may be considered revolutionary by some and may offend. Run while you can.**

I find this year, more than ever before, people seem to be having trouble with Christmas. It's not that they are against the whole idea. Nor are they miserable folks who just don't like fun. It's almost like they are on the cusp of a crisis that can unfold in one of two ways. For many, Christmas has become a massive occasion, requiring copious amounts of cooking and shopping and preparations. They quest for the "perfect" Christmas. In the past there seems to have been some kind of drive to an ideal Christmas that s unattainable. Driven by Christmas specials and retailers we have created an image of Christmas that must be lived up to lest we have a less than ideal Christmas.

People are finally getting to a point where they know that this is true. They see the money and the hassle and are having a problem. Christmas is too good an occasion to let simply slide by, but who calls the shots. Do we maintain the illusion fabricated for us by those that will make as many dollars as possible or do we look further. It seems that in the search for Christmas people will comb the stores for the perfect gift and wander around aimlessly. Like Dr Seuss told us so simply

Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

Christmas is what you make of it! Trying to find it is like trying to find missing car keys, until you stop looking so hard you probably won't find it. This Christmas I challenge you to stop trying to have the perfect Christmas, as it is like the idea of a perfect marriage or perfect children. Instead I challenge you to enjoy Christmas as it comes. Nothing is perfect, but that doesn't mean it can't be great anyway. Somewhere behind all the paper and the shopping lies the real Christmas. If you stop in all the madness and listen, you will hear it in your heart. Behind the canned Christmas music on the mall speakers, just beneath the jingling bells and cries of "ho ho ho!" from the mall Santas lies the real reason for it all. It's about being with those that you care for and letting them show you that you matter too. It's about being better people and giving to others. Despite the efforts of retailers and industry to make it a profiteering session, we still give to food banks and donate toys to charities. We call long forgotten relatives and help old neighbors. We resist the commercialism. Sure we get swept away, but there is still a part of most of us that yearns for more. We know there is more to it than all the hype and that is what drives us to keep up the effort.

A few things to consider this Christmas:

When you are grumbling about going from home to home remember that there are those with nowhere to go.

When complaining you don't know what to get fro someone, remember that there are those that can't afford to get anyone gifts.

When you are grumbling that the kids are going nuts, remember they could be in a hospital or worse.

When you grumble about having to clean and decorate the house, remember there are those that would love a home of there own

Here are a few things I like to do at Christmas to bring a smile to someone's face. These work best when you do it all anonymously as the giving is the reason for the action and not the recognition. The best part is that some of these can provide maximum joy for minimum dollars.

Food and toys given to a food bank or shelter will allow someone to have a Merry Christmas where not possible without the help.
If you park at a metered spot while shopping, pay the maximum so the next person will have some free parking. Better yet, top up the meters beside yours.
Buy a handful of hot coffees in the mall to give to the people outside, begging for change. They aren't really looking to buy the coffees they claim they are seeking, but a hot drink will not be refused and will help to warm their weary bodies.
When you are doing your shopping remember to smile, it's free and contagious.
If you really want to shock someone when you are at the mall, pause to let them into traffic. You'll find they hesitate as they are not accustomed to it, but they will smile and wave.
When inside the mall, let someone into line ahead of you. You'll blow their mind and the look of shock and ensuing smile will be worth the minute you lose.
I shop and carry a pile of candy canes with me that I give to cashiers and any other that want them. It brings a smile to their face and is a refreshing change from the grumbling and complaining that everyone else seems to bring.

Pause and remember that Christmas is about enjoying and helping, not shopping and stress. Open your heart and let Christmas find you in its own way and you'll be surprised at how good it feels. The only person in the way of your happiness at Christmas is yourself. Crazy family and busy malls are simply the domain of those that are having trouble finding their way. Don't get swept away in the tide, but be a rock against the flow. Merry Christmas to each and every one of you and I hope you find real joy this holiday despite the world around it. Who knows? If we all team up and start this kind of revolution, maybe we can ride the wave well into the new year. Can you imagine a world where people care about each other and show respect all year around? Chilling!!