I hear that in many places something has happened to Christmas; that it is changing from a time of merriment and carefree gaiety to a holiday which is filled with tedium; that many people dread the day and the obligation to give Christmas presents is a nightmare to weary, bored souls; that the children of enlightened parents no longer believe in Santa Claus; that all in all, the effort to be happy and have pleasure makes many honest hearts grow dark with despair instead of beaming with good will and cheerfulness.
~Julia Peterkin, A Plantation Christmas, 1934
4 comments:
Well, working in a retail pharmacy, I can testify that things have not gotten better since this quote was written, in 1934. That said, I (and other like me, in retail jobs) tend to try harder to bring light and hope into the lives of our families, friends, and loved ones. Being exposed to the 'dark side' of Christmas means you can recognize it and turn away, by choice.
Blessings to you and yours this holiday season, Wally. Your blog continues to be a daily pleasure.
Morgan
Wally,
I came upstairs to the computer late and didn't make it even by Alaska time, so please accept my belated
Merry Christmas.
We had our first Christmas without our daughter (she's out of state visiting a boyfriend). So it was a simplified Christmas where we said we'll do all the things we want to do in an unhurried fashion, without any pressure, etc. Very few presents to wrap, etc. It was very nice, and other empty-nest couples we dropped in on told us they've discovered this new secret too: it's fun to have a simpler Christmas.mlfullfath
That was very sneaky...I could have attributed it to any number of talking heads that I've seen on the box this year. We continue to take from it what we like and to eject what makes us uncomfortable. It's actually a skill I'd like my grandchildren to develop.
Merry Christmas to you and Dorothy and all your beautiful loved ones.
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