Why is everyone trying to take the magic out of Christmas ? That is the way I feel when I see trees and trimmings going up in November. The Thanksgiving day turkey and ham are still being eaten as leftovers and Santa is at the table ! Well call me old fashioned but I don't like it, not one bit. Black Friday sales, cyber Monday and all of that hoopla. How is a child supposed to believe in Santa when they see the adults literally fighting one another at the mall for the " bargains ? " We are killing the magic is my opinion.
Growing up Christmas was a birthday party. Instead of a cake we put up a tree. Yes, we were taught it was the birth of Jesus that we were celebrating and what a glorious gift that was. We celebrated his birth. A connection between the birth of Jesus and Santa Claus was never established. We knew that if we were good we would get gifts from Santa. As children I don't remember ever trying to reconcile one to the other. I always figured it was a fortunate coincidence. You don't look a gift horse in the mouth ! I knew that old saying well and followed that advice. Don't ask too many questions and behave yourself. Christmas truly was a magical time. The tree and trimmings didn't appear until a few days before Christmas day. As I recall about a week ahead of time was normal. The excitement of that week could be sustained. I'm not so sure sustaining that level of excitement and anticipation can be maintained for a month ! The " illusion " begins to be exposed the longer you watch the magic.
Now the season begins with a brawl ! Black Friday. We have all heard about what transpires on that day and it sickens me. It is not that I don't like a bargain, I certainly do, but I am not willing to fight for it. The " commercial " season has begun and it has little to do with Christ or Christmas. It is predicated upon making a profit. The focus shifts to what I can get. That is what most children think about Christmas. I was no different, I'm not trying to convince you otherwise, I wanted stuff for Christmas. It was " magical " when I got the things I had hoped for. The list went to Santa, not to Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad couldn't afford such things we knew that. Mom and Dad were just people like everyone else and their funds were limited. Santa Claus may gift you those items, at least some of them but certainly not all. That was the magical part of the whole deal. Just where did those items come from ? When I was little we didn't have credit cards and all that stuff. We had Sears and Roebuck, Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penny. I was pretty sure they were the workshops of Santa. At least he got a lot of the gifts he gave you from those places. Adults could place their " orders " and if you were good they got delivered. It was all up to you.
As far as outside decorations they could go up a little earlier. After all they were a lot of work and effort to put up. You wanted to enjoy them for a while and they looked so nice at night. We usually just strung some lights around the outline of the house. Some folks had plywood cutouts and such too. By todays standards the decorations were very basic. Those decorations did serve to help build the excitement level. Once they appeared you knew the time was getting closer. The excitement came in waves. At first, right at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Santa made his appearance. That was the kickoff. Then he would appear at the department stores. The stores would decorate followed by the town and then private family homes. About a week before the big day your tree went up ! The waiting began. It was magic !
Most of the magic is gone now. Is it because I have grown older or just more pessimistic ? I suspect it is a combination of the two. The real reason for this season is becoming politically incorrect to mention. That saddens me a great deal. It hasn't bothered the merchants very much that is certain. Will Christmas survive ? Of course it will as there is money to be made. That is the pessimist in me. The truth is the magic must be added by the parents. I was very lucky to grow up in a time of magic. As children we weren't told everything and we were told to not ask too many questions ! There was no internet to dispel our myths, only older siblings and our peers at school. Although the concept of the birth of Christ and Santa Claus giving us gifts was never explained, that is how they were related, we knew one was integral to the other. I wonder what the atheists and other non believers do at Christmas ? Do they exchange gifts ? If so under what premise ?
When was the magic killed ? Was it the internet that did the deed ? I didn't intend to go on so about this trend of decorating early. I guess I got carried away a bit. To each there own. As for me I'm trying to hold on to the magic a little longer. Illusions must be done quickly to be effective. Believing in the magic is the key ingredient for it to succeed. I still believe in Christmas and expect I always will.
Growing up Christmas was a birthday party. Instead of a cake we put up a tree. Yes, we were taught it was the birth of Jesus that we were celebrating and what a glorious gift that was. We celebrated his birth. A connection between the birth of Jesus and Santa Claus was never established. We knew that if we were good we would get gifts from Santa. As children I don't remember ever trying to reconcile one to the other. I always figured it was a fortunate coincidence. You don't look a gift horse in the mouth ! I knew that old saying well and followed that advice. Don't ask too many questions and behave yourself. Christmas truly was a magical time. The tree and trimmings didn't appear until a few days before Christmas day. As I recall about a week ahead of time was normal. The excitement of that week could be sustained. I'm not so sure sustaining that level of excitement and anticipation can be maintained for a month ! The " illusion " begins to be exposed the longer you watch the magic.
Now the season begins with a brawl ! Black Friday. We have all heard about what transpires on that day and it sickens me. It is not that I don't like a bargain, I certainly do, but I am not willing to fight for it. The " commercial " season has begun and it has little to do with Christ or Christmas. It is predicated upon making a profit. The focus shifts to what I can get. That is what most children think about Christmas. I was no different, I'm not trying to convince you otherwise, I wanted stuff for Christmas. It was " magical " when I got the things I had hoped for. The list went to Santa, not to Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad couldn't afford such things we knew that. Mom and Dad were just people like everyone else and their funds were limited. Santa Claus may gift you those items, at least some of them but certainly not all. That was the magical part of the whole deal. Just where did those items come from ? When I was little we didn't have credit cards and all that stuff. We had Sears and Roebuck, Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penny. I was pretty sure they were the workshops of Santa. At least he got a lot of the gifts he gave you from those places. Adults could place their " orders " and if you were good they got delivered. It was all up to you.
As far as outside decorations they could go up a little earlier. After all they were a lot of work and effort to put up. You wanted to enjoy them for a while and they looked so nice at night. We usually just strung some lights around the outline of the house. Some folks had plywood cutouts and such too. By todays standards the decorations were very basic. Those decorations did serve to help build the excitement level. Once they appeared you knew the time was getting closer. The excitement came in waves. At first, right at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Santa made his appearance. That was the kickoff. Then he would appear at the department stores. The stores would decorate followed by the town and then private family homes. About a week before the big day your tree went up ! The waiting began. It was magic !
Most of the magic is gone now. Is it because I have grown older or just more pessimistic ? I suspect it is a combination of the two. The real reason for this season is becoming politically incorrect to mention. That saddens me a great deal. It hasn't bothered the merchants very much that is certain. Will Christmas survive ? Of course it will as there is money to be made. That is the pessimist in me. The truth is the magic must be added by the parents. I was very lucky to grow up in a time of magic. As children we weren't told everything and we were told to not ask too many questions ! There was no internet to dispel our myths, only older siblings and our peers at school. Although the concept of the birth of Christ and Santa Claus giving us gifts was never explained, that is how they were related, we knew one was integral to the other. I wonder what the atheists and other non believers do at Christmas ? Do they exchange gifts ? If so under what premise ?
When was the magic killed ? Was it the internet that did the deed ? I didn't intend to go on so about this trend of decorating early. I guess I got carried away a bit. To each there own. As for me I'm trying to hold on to the magic a little longer. Illusions must be done quickly to be effective. Believing in the magic is the key ingredient for it to succeed. I still believe in Christmas and expect I always will.
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