Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Where Are The Other Holidays?

I remember a time, in the distant past, when Christmas came but once a year.

Children of this era looked forward to Thanksgiving because it meant old St. Nick would soon be coming and they had to be on their best behavior, lest they get coal put in their stockings (OK, so I'm not THAT old). Still, advertisers had the decency to wait on peddling their holiday wares until turkey day had arrived.

Those days are gone, and are sorely missed. Now, merchants begin pushing their holiday stuff in July, or earlier, depending on whether or not a corporate chain is involved. It gets progressively worse from there.

By September, most stores have dueling displays, with Christmas goods battling Halloween items. However, Halloween, while a favorite holiday for many, especially children, is not commercially profitable as compared to Christmas.

Because the peddlers of goods and services have but one quest, all else pales in comparison for them. The quest involved is for the ALL MIGHTY DOLLAR. As a nation, we have sold our collective souls in search of the elusive greenback, and it's a sad situation as it drags everyone down to the same level. Money is, after all, the great equalizer.

The more money a person has, the more equal they get to be, or something like that. But this has nothing to do with Christmas or the spirit of the season.

And this is the kicker, the "spirit" of the season. Christmas has become commercialized to the point of most people forgetting what it's all about. The holiday has nothing to do with greed, but in giving to one another from the heart. Just because mommy and daddy don't buy little Billy or Bonnie the newest and most expensive toys doesn't mean they aren't loved. The cost of a gift, as is the gift itself, is immaterial.

The gifts, in Christian faith, come from the wise men bearing tidings of good joy to the newborn King of man. In the pagan beliefs, the holiday was agrarian in nature as those in northern European nations held midwinter celebrations at the end of their harvests.

It was a time for being together and celebrating the completion of another year of toil. Homes were decorated, parties held, songs sang and gifts exchanged for the event. But, this was done after all the other work had been completed. This meant the stock tended and harvest put away before anybody partied down.

Unfortunately, today Christmas has no more meaning than how much money can be spent or made. Businesses, in some instances, make it or break it based on their Christmas sales.

Because of this, sales for the holiday have been pushed back further and further into the year. Soon, Christmas sales will be year-round, and all other "sales" will be all but meaningless.

This year, let's all vow to do something different. Let's make the gifts from the heart instead of Dillard's or Wal-Mart or wherever. Write a loved one a holiday story or poem, treat them to some special little treat they want, instead of blowing tons of money on a gift soon to be forgotten.

Believe it or not, the little things are still more important than the big, showy displays made. Mom and dad would love to get coupons from their children. These coupons could be for a free back rub or yard raking. These coupons could also be doled out by parents, for a walk in the woods or fishing trip or something the family likes to do together.

Mom and dad can be more creative in the coupons they give one another, letting their imagination and tastes be their guides.

It would also make the family feel better on the whole to give something back to the community. Donating time during the holidays is difficult, granted, but think how those who are shut in must feel. Take a few minutes to go by a nursing home and read a story to the residents there. Not only will they love it, but the reader will be rewarded as well.

Volunteer to help serve food or deliver gift baskets to the needy. Again, all involved will be the richer for the effort, unless the volunteering is done under a court order, but this is another story altogether.

Most importantly, remember Christmas is a spiritual holiday, not a day for greed and crass commercialism. It should be a day of giving from the heart, not the wallet. But most of all, it should be a day filled with peace on earth and good will toward men.

This little tirade will mean little in the greater scheme of things, but it had to be said. Unfortunately, man's desire for more and more material possessions, which are useless in the long run, overcome the higher, more spiritual nature of the beast. Greed will win out.

The merchants will continue to peddle their Christmas wares in late September, or possibly earlier. Parents will keep trying to placate their children by going in debt to buy the "in" toys, clothes, etc...

And the true meaning of Christmas will continue to gather dust in some dark, long forgotten closet of the soul.

Happy holidays.