I'm Christian and celebrate Christmas. As I grow older the deeper meaning of the holiday becomes increasingly important to me. Frankly, I am sickened by the commercialization of what is, essentially, a holy day. A day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. When I was young we always had a nativity crèche and I remember imagining what it would be like to be born in a manger or barn. We were a family of very modest means but I always considered myself very lucky to live in my grandma's two-family house with my parents and brothers. I thought about people I knew and saw in my neighborhood who were much less fortunate than us. I was happy to be safe, warm and loved.
When Christmas day would arrive my brothers and I, of course, couldn't go fast enough to look under the tree to see what Santa left us; Lincoln logs, Tinker Toys, clothes and the like. It was wonderful but what I really liked was dinner that my grandma and mother worked on for hours beginning on Christmas Eve. Coming from an Italian family, it was all about the, antipasto, raviolis with different types of meat and the Italian pastries for dessert. It was family coming together and celebrating the holiday. More than anything, I miss my family the most.
Like most families, traditions serve as the foundation for the generations that come after us and in our house we've got a few at Christmas. Our family gets together and puts the tree up in mid December and decorates it with ornaments, some of which go back to my family, and we've got our own and each one has a story and some are invariably recounted by one of us. We've got some real gems that our kids made when they were young as well. Finally, is the placement of the angel of the top of the tree. Last year my son lifted up my granddaughter to place the angel and the torch was passed. All the while, old and new Christmas music is playing in the background. My son has been reading T'was the Night Before Christmas for many years on Christmas Eve but I think in a year or two my granddaughter just may inherit that honor also. We hang our stockings, put out the reindeer food and awake on Christmas Day to open our presents. Later in the day we sit down to dinner and, after grace, savor the holiday meal that my wife and brother prepared. I hope this tradition lasts in my family long after I'm gone. It makes me happy and grateful for all the blessings I've received throughout my life.
Wishing you all a happy holiday season and hope you don't caught up in the diversion. Merry Christmas from my family to yours..