Christmas...

I am in a quite reflective mood right now, as I often am at Christmas. The day is over. It was a good day. The gifts were plentiful and well-chosen. The meal was phenomenal with turkey, ham, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and more than the 8 of us (my family, grandma on my dad's side, and great aunt) could ever eat in one day. Desert of cookies and pie had to be put off until we had room to eat again, hours later, but was infinitely better than I'll ever get from Chuck's. We watched new movies, played new games, began new puzzles, and spent priceless moments with each other. It was a good day.

Now it's over. It is almost like this entire nation lives from holiday to holiday. From New Years we have Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's day, Easter, eventually summer vacation. Those few months fly by, often in a frenzy, leaving us exhausted. Or for some the days drag on and on, and they're just waiting for them to end so that they can feel productive again. We get back into the swing of things, school starts back up. Those of us who rushed through the summer hit the fall ground in a sprint, never getting a chance to catch our breaths from the summer. The others are often dulled from a summer of laziness; laziness which is frequently involuntary. Then comes Labor Day (one of my new favorite days), but the country looks beyond that, poised for Halloween, the day that kicks of the "Holiday Season."

Suddenly Christmas decorations come out, mingled with Thanksgiving decorations. Thanksgiving comes and we eat ourselves sick, but that's ok. It's Thanksgiving. Isn't that the point? Be thankful for what we have by gorging ourselves and watching parades and football. Not that I'm condemning these rituals, I certainly participate in them gladly. Just a month later, a month that is simultaneously among the swiftest and slowest to pass, it's Christmas. This is it. The BIG day. The entire country has been waiting a good 364 days for it to come. This is what it all builds up to. For some the most exciting, for others the most depressing day of the year. This day causes more splurging and more depression, I believe, than any other single day in the year.

Then, in a whirl of tape, paper, toys, gadgets, lights, and food, it's gone. Over. We have all said, "I can't believe it's been a year!" But now the coming year seems an eternity. This country, whose national religion is materialism, have turned these holy days, into money-making days. This has happened to such an extent, that Hallmark felt the need to create its own "holiday." What's it called? Is it...Sweetest Day or something?? The girls in my unit were so miffed when people didn't get them things on Sweetest Day. I'd barely heard of it.

I did not begin this with the intention of turning it into a rant about American materialism. My intention was originally to talk about how there is so much build up for this one day, Christmas, and then it's gone so fast. I guess the reason for this is materialism though. Not that I'm not the least bit materialistic. I love my iPod, my iBook, I would love to have a nice car, and I was hoping for nice gifts today. I know that I am the greatest of hypocrites, and that must be why Christmas feels so empty. It gets more empty every year.

I know that I can't very well discuss all this without at least mentioning the "True Meaning of Christmas." But lets face it. We all know!! EVERYTHING that talks about this topic goes into the birth of Jesus in detail. Not that I don't think it's important. It is foundational to everything I believe, but why spend a lot of words and your time on something that you already know as intimately as your going to through the words of man?

Anyway...hope this didn't dampen your spirits too bad =) Holidays can be quite wonderful, and I'm in no way suggesting that we do away with them. These are just my thoughts for the night. I do hope that each of you had an incredible Christmas. This is a time to reflect on Christ's birth, and I hope that we were all able to do so. God bless you and a very merry Christmas!!