Tis the Season

I work retail, and I have worked retail for 4 years give or take. To put it mildly, working retail ruins the Christmas season. I spent 3 of the 4 years in the giant mother of all retail stores: Wal-Mart. If that doesn't kill the holiday spirit, I don't know what does. This year I have tried and tried to get into the Christmas spirit. I made myself a mix CD of Christmas music I found on iTunes, but when I got to work and listened to Christmas music for 4 hours straight, I couldn't take any more of it.

When I was eating dinner with my folks tonight (I am staying with my parents during the holiday break) we were watching A Christmas Carol (Patrick Stewart version). While this is not my favorite version it did bring across a point to me that has been niggling at the back of my brain for the past month or so.

Whatever happened to just enjoying the holidays for what they are? The meaning of Christmas is not the gifts. It's about family and the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's about friends and home. It's about being Christlike.

I promised myself I wouldn't get too preachy on my blog, so I will refrain from that. It's just hard these days to see past the glitter and commotion in the stores to find the true meaning of Christmas. Today I spent most of the day with my parents and my beautiful niece, topped it off with a nice evening with my parents, my best friend, and his girlfriend. That is what Christmas is all about. Being with those you love.

So this Christmas, with the economy the way it is, don't fret over STUFF and THINGS. Rather...enjoy the time you get to have with your family and friends...I will try and do the same.