An Ode to Christmas

Christmas fanatics. We all know at least one. You know the kind. Getting their decorations out of storage at some horridly-early hour of the morning the day after Thanksgiving. The ones who would hike for hours to get the perfect tree for their living room. The ones who have the Clark Griswold-style of twinkle lights on their houses. The ones who seem to thrive on anything related to Christmas.

But then there are the rest of us Christmas lovers. Sure, we may not run around wearing blinking earrings or vests clad with Rudolf and pals. But we, too, appreciate the holiday and everything that it stands for. So for us:

An Ode to Christmas.

Christmas. A season of wonderful music. Whether it be “Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer” or Handel’s “Messiah,” the songs of Christmas seem to have a way of bringing a smile to the faces of those who hear them. Of course, some department stores start to play the jazzy version of the most popular Christmas carols the day after Halloween. But even so, there is something about hearing those songs that can put a little spring into a shopper’s step. It’s the first sign of the wonderful season to come.

Christmas. An excuse to put a light bulb on any and all inanimate objects. It’s the one time of year when energy-saving consumers throw frugality out the window and use watt upon watt to light up the eaves of their homes. It’s the time when trees twinkle to the beat of “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman.” And although some people may take the use of lights to the extreme- like those houses with 25 different blow-up characters and seven different colors and shapes of lights hanging on one porch- it is great to drive through a neighborhood and see the Christmas spirit brightly shining through the strands upon strands of glistening bulbs.

Christmas. A season of goodwill to all. Have you ever noticed the lack of attention paid to those who collect money in April, July or even October? But put a guy in a Santa suit to raise money for the same good cause and people come out of the woodwork to donate. Or collect coats and food for the less fortunate families in the area and the goodwill that Christmas brings will be apparent. There is something about the season that gets people to open not only their pocket books, but also their hearts, in ways not seen during any other time of the year.

Christmas. A time for families and traditions. While Christmas get-togethers may be stressful for the host or hostess, they are the times when extended families can put aside their differences and come together to celebrate and have a good time. A time for meal-time traditions. A time for reminiscing about past get-togethers and experiences. A time of celebrating the season and each other.

Christmas. A time to celebrate Christ’s birth. Despite what department stores and toy manufacturers try to tell us, Christmas is really a celebration of the birth of Christ. And while yes, December 25 is not the actual date on which he was born, it is a time when the miracle of his arrival can be celebrated by all. It is this very celebration that truly makes Christmas the best season of all. There are advent candles that are lit in anticipation of Christmas day. There are nativity scenes that represent the humble place and people who took part in the first Christmas. And there are special songs like “O Holy Night” and “Joy to the World” that so wonderfully tell of that night in Bethlehem.

So here’s to you Christmas fanatics and silent Christmas-lovers alike. With your pine-scented trees, fancily-wrapped gifts and sweet-smelling baked goods. May you truly enjoy the upcoming Christmas season and remember all that it represents.