I stood in the check out line the other day, watching the woman in front of me, as she had all 5 of her credit cards declined. Then she proceeded to have a meltdown - screaming at the cashier, as if the declined cards was somehow her fault, (poor cashier) before finally storming out of the store, leaving all of her items behind.
Then there was an old lady, a few people behind me. I had heard her mumbling as soon as she lined up - complaining about the wait. But when some young guy tried to break into the line up in front of her, all hell broke loose. There were LOUD words exchanged between the two, clearly heard over the soft sounds of Bing Crosby's "Have yourself a very Merry Christmas" playing on the loud speaker in the background, and at one point I thought for sure she was gonna take him out with her handbag.
Nothing like a good ol' handbag fight and some fowl language to get ya in a festive mood!! haha
Hilarious!
Christmas......
It's meant to be such a special time of the year!!
Yet, we've turned it into long "I WANT" lists, racked up credit card bills, overworked retail workers, and cranky, stressed out shoppers. We're so busy taking Christ out of Christmas that we've forgotten why we celebrate it in the first place. We have removed the true meaning of what Christmas is all about.
Every year as the holiday gets closer I hear people complain about missing the "holiday spirit." "Just don't feel the
mood anymore" they say.
Hmm...I wonder why?!!
We spend an inordinate amount of time focused on shopping and buying gifts. We practically kill ourselves buying trees we can't afford. We run up our credit cards buying toys and gifts, and empty our bank accounts overstocking our pantry's with more food than we can eat. All in an effort to make someone else happy!!!
Yet, I have to wonder.........
On Christmas morning, as we sit around the tree, waist deep in torn Christmas wrap, are we really happier people?
As we loosen our belts or slip into our "elastic waist pants" after the huge Christmas meal, complaining all afternoon about how full and fat we feel, are we really happier people?
What if, just for one year we decided to cut our gifts by at least half, and instead, gave back to those in need?
What if, we went into our closets, grabbed old toys and clothes, and provided them to those without?
What if, instead of gorging on food, we used some of it to feed those who are hungry?
What if, we took our family and spent part of Christmas day volunteering at the soup kitchen?
What if, instead of buying gift cards for our friends, we gave the money to a charity instead?
A friend of mine watched a celebrity on TV (I don't know which one) talking about her favorite Christmas memory. It was the time her family and friends got together on Christmas morning and instead of giving gifts to each other they each brought a small paper bag with their name on it and some paper.
Throughout the day they would each take turns writing something on a small piece of paper and dropping it into each other's paper bag.
By the end of the day their bags were each filled with appreciation, compliments, memories, and thank-you's (only for them), from the people they love.
What a special and memorable Christmas that must have been!!
This year, I have cut back on Christmas giving, and have given to the food bank/charities instead. Yesterday, I sent a cheque to a local family, whose son is dying of cancer.
The Dad has used all his holiday/sick time/family time at work, and is now torn between paying his mortgage or being there for his son. I sent him his mortgage payment for December. My friend sent January's. It's not much, but it definitely renewed the warm Christmas fuzzies within me.
As for the paper bags...
I would like to try that at our house - and I will.
But with my disfunctional (yet marvelous) bunch, I could see the bags containing things like
" you're funny (looking)" or " Dad just fart"
...and then ....
I just might have to get out MY handbag!!!!
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