Hey there and Merry Christmas to all my readers and fellow writers out there. For the past few days, I have been working diligently trying to complete the first draft of my book and I am so close it’s not even funny. It hasn’t been easy though with working a six-day work schedule, preparing for the holidays and setting up my new apartment with my son. So, I have been busy. Christmas has always been a special holiday for most and for me it’s been a treat every year. Particularly during my childhood.

I remember being a kid and literally counting the days until Christmas. My mother was the one who bought the toys for me and allowed me to choose whatever I wanted in the old Montgomery Ward catalog. Remember those? They always had the best toy selection next to Toys Are Us. The only rule was not to choose something that was outrageously expensive. I grew up in a house with two working parents who always celebrated Christmas. You should have seen some of the Christmas trees that have come into our house. We had green ones, white ones, pink ones, fake ones and a real one that our dog Dominick used to like to water on occasion if you uh know what I mean lol.

I used to love going Christmas shopping in downtown Chicago. State Street was always decorated so beautifully. I loved watching the dolls that moved in store windows and the big tree that stood high at The Daily Center. Everyone was always so nice during that time of year and it made you wish that Christmas was every day. It seems to be the only time people are happy and care about each other. Why couldn’t it be that way every day? Why wait until Christmas?

I’m crying as I remember the good ole days because I look at things now and see how much has changed. And not for the better, it’s sad to say. But the only ones who can change things is us. We must change the way we think about one another and the way we feel. We must change how we treat people and remember that we are not better than anyone on this planet. No matter how much money we have because that seems to be the number one reason why the world is the way it is. It’s like we have forgotten what’s important. It’s about our families and our friends.

Christmas is not about the gifts, it’s not about making money. Even though society has made it very clear that it is. It’s not about making big dinners and decorations for the house, Christmas bonuses and all the stress it takes to get ready for relatives to visit every year. Originally Christmas was supposed to be about the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ but society even managed to get that wrong. I don’t know the day Jesus Christ was born but I have been told by many people that it was not on December 25th.

In recent years, I have not been all that enthused about Christmas anymore. I had become jaded due to lack of money for gifts and always having to work on Christmas, the work it takes to prepare a big dinner for the family and everyone’s general greediness during this time of year. I haven’t been happy to see Christmas come. At least not since my son was still young enough to play with toys. Let’s face it. It’s really for the kids. And a chance for families to get together and rejoice in the fact that they are still alive and together. Even if there are fights at the dinner table, it doesn’t matter, even if your family only consists of just two people, that’s enough. Even if you find yourself alone on Christmas, rejoice in the fact that you are still alive and have a chance to make your life as great as you want it to be. Some don’t even have that chance for many lives have been lost this past year.

Christmas can still be a special time of year if you want it to be and it means something different for everyone. This year I will be spending it with my family and it will be a happy occasion and a sad one because it marks the first Christmas we couldn’t spend with my Aunt Frances who died in September after suffering a stroke this year. We all miss her very much. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend. And remember to appreciate all that you have instead of what you don’t have. It will help make this Christmas a joyous occasion no matter how you spend it or whom your spending it with. Until next time…