It’s so superficial. So commercial. How can anybody enjoy Christmas?
“I want, I want, I want,” the 6-year-old chants.
It drills into your head like a blunt object into your ear. It burns, it aches; it teaches until you say to yourself, “I’m not gonna’ take this anymore!” And yet, children world-wide are instilled in a young state of overwhelmingly, hungry greed.
These kids all WANT to be happy. So most parents get whatever their little rug eats want and all is well. The adults make their kids say thank you, sure. In fact, the family go through all the motions of the holiday: they rather ritualistically eat their Christmas dinner, maybe sing songs, maybe even curl up to a fire together and watch holiday movies.
But wait. A glimmer of genuine thankfulness is shown, as opposed to their typical, microwave-oven-hello-goodbye relationship that is usually evident throughout the majority of the year. Well, if we consider the heartfelt humanity that happens (or where an attempt is at least made) this time of year, then perhaps — just perhaps — this gift of kindness is not as offensive as it once seemed.
Come to think of it, though – that one moment of blissful family togetherness, that Norman Rockwell painting embodied, that nuclear family moment where all seems right in that one moment in that one place in the world – that glimmer of snow fallen kindness, that seasonal, tear-rolling-down-the-cheek kindness — it brings a tear to one’s eye.
It makes you ask: was this year really worth the wait for such humanity?
I think so.
Maybe I don’t hate Christmas after all.
Tyler Hanson
December 2002