The Reason For This Season

Christmas has become way too materialistic lately. There, I said it. The sad thing is, we encourage it. So says the lady in retail, you're thinking...right?

Here's what I've noticed. Christmas music starts before Halloween these days. Christmas decorations go out to the store shelves in August. And the shame of it all is that by the time Christmas or Hannukah or whatever it is you celebrate comes along, you're sick of the music. And that's just for starters.To combat the un-Christmas feeling, I refuse to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. I won't put up my holiday decor until at least December. I try to keep things a bit more like they were in my youth. I still decorate both the inside and outside of the house. I still love to back cookies and pass them out to my friends and loved ones. I love bringing out my crafty side...sometimes creating new ornaments the way my mom does for her very unique trees.

I remember growing up I used to look forward to the Thanksgiving weekend. That was when Christmas music would start flowing through the house, we'd decorate the tree, start to bake cookies...maybe go shopping Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon. I don't think I even remember ever making a Christmas list when I was younger.
My biggest thrills came from shopping...trying to find gifts for the people I love on limited funds, the anticipation...waiting to see their responses to what I chose..to see if they loved it.

And then there was the carolling...I loved singing Christmas carols.Even after I grew up a bit...my favorite part of the holidays was the tree trimming party in the lobby of Hinsdale Hospital. The volunteers set it up. There was spiced cider, Pepperidge farm cookies, a piano and music. As the tree was being decorated we'd sing carols in the front lobby. It always made it feel so much like Christmas to me. These were some of my favorite memories.

I guess I'm a simple girl at heart. I believe that Christmas is a time for giving. I believe it's a celebration of Christ's birth. I know not everyone believes in God, and that's their call. But I think sometimes you miss out on something when you don't have that belief...because it can give such strength and joy. His birth, then his subsequent death was one of the most unselfish gifts ever given. I try to never lose sight of that...because that, too, gives me comfort and happiness. I guess because my family came at things from a religeous aspect of the season it's absolutely no surprise to anyone that my sister and I were in bunches of holiday pageants. I've added some of my most cherished holiday pictures from my youth to this blog. Oddly enough, all of them happened in Germany. Probably because that's when the whole family was closest. The holidays mean so many things to so many people...some good, some not so good. What does it mean to you? What are some of your best holiday memories? What changes have you noticed from your youth to today?