Here we are in yet another holiday
season. What does that mean to the average person? Shopping,
crowds, decisions, reflection, relaxation and communication.
Allow me to break these areas down to what
they mean to me. After all, this isn't called "Hugh's Views"
for nothing.
Shopping
I forget, is it one or two p's? That's what a spell checker
is for, isn't it?
Soon I'll be joining the millions here in the U.S of A with a list of people
to buy Christmas gifts for. I'll go to the shopping malls, individual stores
and even mail out for some things, like subscriptions to magazines.
Several decisions will be made by my wife and me, others will be my domain
exclusively. Relatives on my side. Co-workers. And that special gift for
my three daughters and son-in-law and, the one I'm really looking forward
to, my granddaughter who's almost two.
Christmas, after all, is really for the child in all of us. It isn't a
religious thing for most people, but is a nice way to end the year and
show people you care for them. It's really a pagan thing and becoming more
and more pagan every year. Consider this: We actually cut down trees and
bring the dying flora into our homes to watch them decompose. In the end
they become a fire hazard and are a pain to clean up after with the shedded
needles all around. We put electric light on them and on our houses showing
our spirit, boosting the electric bill in a garish display of multicolored
mayhem.
Crowds Sure we have crowds. Crowds to tour the streets that have an
overkill abundance of aforementioned decorated lights. Crowds at all the
stores. Crowds at airports queuing up to fly home for the holidays. Crowds
at the local attractions. Crowds at parties. Crowds going from relative
to relative to wish greetings and antagonize those that haven't been seen
since the last round of holiday madness. The crazy aunts, the boorish uncles,
the out of control nieces and nephews. A public display of the ultimate
in dysfunctional family gatherings (and that's just from my wife's side.)
Decisions There are plenty of decisions to be made. Who will be the designated
driver? What is the perfect gift for the distinct personalities on our
lists. What is the least offensive or expensive gift that will perfectly
complement the gift that is given to you? (One has to be especially careful
here. Too much money spent on a gift makes the recipient paranoid when
the the exchange is less than equal and vise-versa.) With children it can
get worse. The number is of the utmost importance in weighing the love
afforded the child. If a sibling gets one present more or less than his
counterpart, there's hell to pay. Also what about that major gift for each
kid? The major gift had better not go over the actual retail value of any
other child in the family's gift or the little one will rightfully assume
that "you love him/her better."
Reflection This is what you see when we look into a mirror. In this case
we look into the mirror of the just ending year. Newspapers and magazines
remind us of national and international events. Television shows us highlight
and lowlights with equal intensity. The list of "bests" comes
out and we ponder how we could have missed that novel or movie when it
appears on everybody's list as the cream of this year's crop.
Of course there's the list of what happened in our own lives this past
year. The gains and losses. The changes of attitudes and addresses. Those
missing in action and the ones we chose to fill that gap. The closer we
get to the next century, the more baggage we bring with us and the more
we hear about what's in store for us in the world of the future. When does
the future become our present? Never.
Relaxation
There are times of relaxation this season as well. Time to cozy up to a
good book or put a special video into the VCR, one that we've been anxious
to see or, more often than not, one we wish to resee to go with the season.
This becomes an almost religious experience: Watching George Baily find
out how important he is to those around him or just reexperiencing the
magic of holiday chestnuts experienced for the first time by others, younger
and older than us. Drinking eggnog and hot cider. Eating fruitcake and
shortbread. Turkeys, hams, yams and stuffing. Colorful cookies of all types.
Tinsel and mistletoe. Mangers and trains. And cards and more cards and
still, on December 24th, more cards from people you forgot or just took
off your list. (Too late to return a timely greeting!) Talking with people
you don't have the opportunity to during the regular year, which brings
us to the last category...
Communication
This is one of my personal favorite parts of the season. With all those
Christmas cards comes news about others in different parts of the world.
What they did this year. What is happening in their lives. Sometimes just
a "hello". That's all it takes. To know these people who touched
our lives are still on planet earth. And finally to share in the spirit
of peace and renew our pledge to continue for one more year to make the
world a better place.
Hugh's
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