The spirit of Christmas
It was a December night in 2003 when I lost my Christmas spirit. I was living in downtown Hartford and walking home from work when a woman, using a cane, hobbled up to me and told me that she desperately needed money for bus fare. She said she had just been discharged from the hospital and even produced her release papers. At this point in my life, I of all people really couldn't spare any cash but I didn't mind giving money to strangers as long as I felt they deserved it.
I opened my wallet with the intent of giving her a dollar but saw I only had a $10 bill. I thought to myself, "its Christmas, the time for doing good deeds, just give her the money and you'll get it back somehow." I handed her the $10 bill, said "Merry Christmas" and we went our separate ways. A few moments later, I turned around to watch her walk away and I saw her sashaying down the sidewalk with her cane slung over her shoulder. I'd been had. She didn't just get released from the hospital and she most likely wasn't going to use that money for bus fare. That's when I lost that warm fuzzy feeling about the holidays and I've never been able to get it back.
I now see Christmas for what it truly is, a reason for people to spend or donate their hard earned money on what they feel will make themselves and other people happy. Why is it always about money? I feel so bombarded by the excessive commercialism of Christmas (and all holidays for that matter) that I don't even want to acknowledge the giving spirit. Perhaps its because our economy is in the dumps. I read an Associated Press article today that almost made me cry. It reported that kids across the country are asking for less toys from Santa because of the recession. If our children realize that its not wise to spend lots of money around holidays ... then why can't I get through a television commercial break without feeling like I have to shop 'round the clock until my bank account is sucked dry?
I'm not religious and maybe that's why I can't get to the root of the meaning of Christmas. However, I read an interesting fact today. Christians actually chose the day of December 25th strategically. It is not the same day as the birth of Christ, in fact, no one really knows the actual day. The day was chosen because it falls near the Winter Solstice, which was a Pagan celebration. Christians hoped to integrate Pagans into their religion by making the two coincide.
Don't get me wrong, when I was young, I used to creep downstairs in the middle of the night and marvel at all the presents under the tree. One year I even hopped on the newly assembled bike in the family room and took it for a little ride. Then, a few hours later I ran back downstairs and pretended I was so surprised when my parents presented it to me.
But I don't want bright, shiny gifts anymore. I don't want to feel like the whole world is going to come crashing down if I don't send out holiday cards on time or if I don't buy that perfect gift on sale. I just want to be happy around the end of the year. I just want to get together with my family and friends and enjoy the time spent together ... without focusing on gifts or money.
So, to the woman who fleeced me for $10 in downtown Hartford all of those Christmases ago -- I hope you enjoyed that money and whatever you spent it on. I don't know if I paid it forward but it did teach me what the spirit of Christmas is all about.
I opened my wallet with the intent of giving her a dollar but saw I only had a $10 bill. I thought to myself, "its Christmas, the time for doing good deeds, just give her the money and you'll get it back somehow." I handed her the $10 bill, said "Merry Christmas" and we went our separate ways. A few moments later, I turned around to watch her walk away and I saw her sashaying down the sidewalk with her cane slung over her shoulder. I'd been had. She didn't just get released from the hospital and she most likely wasn't going to use that money for bus fare. That's when I lost that warm fuzzy feeling about the holidays and I've never been able to get it back.
I now see Christmas for what it truly is, a reason for people to spend or donate their hard earned money on what they feel will make themselves and other people happy. Why is it always about money? I feel so bombarded by the excessive commercialism of Christmas (and all holidays for that matter) that I don't even want to acknowledge the giving spirit. Perhaps its because our economy is in the dumps. I read an Associated Press article today that almost made me cry. It reported that kids across the country are asking for less toys from Santa because of the recession. If our children realize that its not wise to spend lots of money around holidays ... then why can't I get through a television commercial break without feeling like I have to shop 'round the clock until my bank account is sucked dry?
I'm not religious and maybe that's why I can't get to the root of the meaning of Christmas. However, I read an interesting fact today. Christians actually chose the day of December 25th strategically. It is not the same day as the birth of Christ, in fact, no one really knows the actual day. The day was chosen because it falls near the Winter Solstice, which was a Pagan celebration. Christians hoped to integrate Pagans into their religion by making the two coincide.
Don't get me wrong, when I was young, I used to creep downstairs in the middle of the night and marvel at all the presents under the tree. One year I even hopped on the newly assembled bike in the family room and took it for a little ride. Then, a few hours later I ran back downstairs and pretended I was so surprised when my parents presented it to me.
But I don't want bright, shiny gifts anymore. I don't want to feel like the whole world is going to come crashing down if I don't send out holiday cards on time or if I don't buy that perfect gift on sale. I just want to be happy around the end of the year. I just want to get together with my family and friends and enjoy the time spent together ... without focusing on gifts or money.
So, to the woman who fleeced me for $10 in downtown Hartford all of those Christmases ago -- I hope you enjoyed that money and whatever you spent it on. I don't know if I paid it forward but it did teach me what the spirit of Christmas is all about.
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