The meaning of Christmas has really changed for from a kid to adult.  And it’s probably like that for most people.  It’s something that I’m not really all that impressed with as an adult.  I think that Christmas is much more enjoyable as kid.  What I would to be 7 years old again at this time of year.  Not really having any worries other than, “Am I going to remember my part in the Christmas Concert?” and “I wonder what I’m getting this year?”

So much simpler….. how I wish for those times again.

Now as an adult there are many other worries, like how many more pay days until Christmas?  Do I have to budget or am I going to rack up the credit card?  What are going kids going to want this year?  What size is everyone again?  Did I book off my holidays at work?  If I did does it mean I’m going to get those days off?  When am I going to have time to run from here, to there and back here? Who’s making what?  Was I suppose to bring something? What am I going to make?  Gotta find something to wear because I show up in the same thing I wore last year. Where is the years Christmas party?  Did I have to drive? Take a taxi?  Do I have money for that?  Who are we going to end up sitting with?  Should I get my manager a little something?  Oh darn…. Too late for Christmas cards this year, maybe next year I’ll remember.  What’s the rest of the family doing this year? Is it Christmas in the country? Or in the city this year?   Oh man… what about my neighbor, what should I get them?  I should get them something because they help me out so much with shoveling and looking after each other’s houses.  I forgot about them in my budget… oh well there goes that.  I hate driving around mall parking lots looking for a place to park.  Standing in line at the check out really sucks too, oh man I hope everything has a price tag on it.  I would hate to be the one who is holding up the line.  Crazy drivers out there at this time of year too, no one seems to know where they are going.  Get out of my WAY!  I have things to do!  Items to get!  Damn, why has the price of egg nog sky rocketed this year?  What?  Do chickens only lay and egg once???  I spend a fortune on groceries… oh well I better put the rest of the gifts on the credit card… I’ll have to pay that off later… at18% interest… yikes!  Oh well.. it’s Christmas!

I’m sure we’ve all had those thoughts before and ran into those types of situations.  But do you notice how each and everyone revolves around the almighty dollar?  Why should it be about that?  Really, what is Christmas?  Isn’t it the celebration of the birth of Jesus?  And why has it become so commercialized?  I really do think that someone thought of the “Santa” thing because they either didn’t know how to explain to their child about the birth of Jesus or their poor child thought it was such a crock that that the thought of Santa enthused them that much more and it snowballed from there. 

No one really celebrates the birth of Jesus any more.  Tell me, when driving around the neighborhood looking at the Christmas displays how many people actually have a nativity scene displayed, not including the local church?  It’s probably blow up snowmen, Santa’s and reindeer, right?  And those that are religious actually celebrate the more religious aspects of the holiday than the commercialized ones?  In biblical times people were poor and gave what they could from the heart.  They made things with their hands and imagination.  There were no malls to go to and no credit cards to charge to. What ever happened to keeping it simple? Why do we all have to lead such complicated lives.  More often than not you hear of people being stressed and rushed during this time of year, what for?  Sometimes I think we all need to sit back and reflect when we were kids.  Some of us may have only gotten 1 gift that year, but it was exciting, and we played with it.  And we also made our own entertainment with friends and family.  Why not bring that back into our lives.  It might make us all a happier society.  Sometimes the simplest things in life are the best, we often forget about that.