The Best Presents

Sometimes the best presents are the ones we allow ourselves.

Christmas time is special.  No matter what your religious affiliations (or not) are, no matter how much you love or hate shopping or snow, Christmas time is the best time of the year.  It’s a shame that it has become so commercialized, politicized, and contentious in word and symbol that it has become nearly ostracized.  For such a civilized society we often aren’t very civilized. 

Civilization is people coming together and working together for common sustaining goals and purposes.  One of civilizations definitions is listed as “intellectual, cultural, and moral refinement”.  It sounds a lot like people coming together and improving to become a better mankind.  Of late, rather than coming together at Christmas, people are using it as an excuse to wage a battle to separate, rather than unify, and to cause us to become uncivilized. 

People complain about the word Christmas, because it bears the name of Christ and all do not believe.  People complain about the symbols of Christmas: the nativity, the Christmas tree, the Star of David.  Some complain of Santa, candy canes, lights, candles, carols, and even cheer.  They use each object and instance as a way to separate people from each other and our common purposes as a collective and improved mankind.  Quite frankly, it is completely uncivilized.

Let’s spend a minute thinking about the deeper “mankind” meanings that flow all through and around the Christmas season. 

Peace on Earth and Good Will Towards Man. 
Unless you hate your fellow man or do not wish for a better mankind as a whole, everyone wants peace on earth and good things for each other. 

The Spirit of Giving. 
Should we need a season for this? No, it should be ongoing just like peace, however, sometimes giving something a designated time helps us to remember and focus on it with a bit more passion. Giving includes the giving of thoughtful and handmade gifts that reflect the love and affection that we have for one another.  Giving also includes forgiving and wiping the slate clean to begin a new year.  Perhaps, most importantly, it is for giving thanks.  Thanks for those who do and have done so much for us, thanks for the many gifts we have received of others throughout the year, thanks for all that we have and are.  

The best part about Christmas is that sometimes, because we’ve saved so much up over the year, we are overfilled, and continue to share widely with great gusto.  This spilling over of goodness, thankfulness, and thoughtfulness is like fairy dust in a snow globe, it can fall all over the world and cover it in good things – leading back to peace on earth and good will towards man(kind).

Bounty. 
We all love bounty- to have enough and then some.  To be warm, to be surrounded by family and friends, to have chocolate, cookies, yummy dinners, and to make a home wherever you are.

Did I mention the presents?  

I don’t just mean the fancy, decorated kind either… but presence.  Being present is one of the best gifts that you give to your friends and family and one of the best you can receive:  to be completely present and enjoy one another.

Now, back to the beginning…Christmas time is special.  No matter what your religious affiliations (or not) are, no matter how much you love or hate shopping or snow, Christmas time is the best time of the year.  Sometimes the best presents are the ones we allow ourselves.  Give yourself the gift of enjoying all of the good things that the season has to offer, give yourself the gift of sharing yourself with others, and give yourself the gift of enjoying the diversity, color, symbols, and love that we each bring to the Christmas table.  

The true spirit of Christmas is to bring everyone together for the betterment and good of ourselves and others, a showcase of what mankind can truly be at our best.  It is civilization in its highest form and it is a gift that will continue to give to both you and those around you into and throughout the New Year.  Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, and Happy Holidays to all- we look forward to being with you in the New Year.