The ghost of Christmas presents…
Ah…Christmas! I do enjoy Christmas. I think I’ve mentioned before that i am a Christmas Nerd, and how much I really enjoy the season. Well, except for malls. At this time of year I hate them. And so, once again, the year cycles around and we find ourselves in the festive season.
The only thing that would make this year better is…well, snow. To be frank, I hate snow at any time of the year except this one. If I had my way, we would have snow in December, and it would be gone a week into January. But in December, there’s nothing like white fluffy snow, covering the ground. Especially at night, with the Christmas lights on the houses reflecting on the snow.
And right now, in Toronto, we have rain. However, if I look out the window at work (which is where I am right now), and I squint…it almost looks like snow. But then, I go outside and..bleh. Its not snow.
Ah well. Its no the first Green Christmas we’ve had. And sadly, its not going to be the last.
I do have a couple of Christmas rituals. The ones that are pretty much required are for Christmas eve. I have to watch a Christmas Carol. Only the black and white version with Alistair Sim will do. And if possible, a Charlie Brown Christmas. I could never rely on tv to provide these, so I purchased both, so that I can have a “proper” Christmas Eve.
But the best part about Christmas for me, is the presents. Not receiving presents. Giving them. I give presents because I like to give presents. I don’t give presents because I expect a present in return. I give a present because I like you. I give a present because I just want to say thanks for being a friend.
Sometimes, I think we often get caught up with feeling that gift giving needs to be reciprocal. That we have to exchange gifts as sort of a quid pro quo arrangement: I give you something, you give me something. But I think that gift giving is much better when we don’t have to give something, but choose to. Think how much better off we’d all be at this time of year, if we weren’t giving gifts becasue we had to. Or because it was expected. But instead…just because we wanted to.
I remember, a few years back, living with some room-mates who were not financially well off. They got by, but they weren’t going to be doing anything for Christmas, and certainly were not going to be buying presents for anyone. And they weren’t going to be receiving any. That didn’t sit right with me, so I bought them presents. They had told me not to, but I didn’t listen. Because they were my friends. And…I like giving presents.
I wish I could give presents to all my friends. I’m not rich, so I can’t. There are some people who get presents from me every year. And there are some who get some from me on a sort of random, rotating basis. Maybe if I win the lottery tonight, that will change and all my friends will be receiving and ipod or something. But since that’s not likely, I’ll be getting presents for the “regulars” and for a few select people.
Whether you are one of the folks I have a gift for this year, or not: I wish you and yours the very best of the season. Merry Christmas.
