Written by Ms. Berman
I remember sneaking out of bed long before daylight, crawling into the living room and searching for presents with my name on them. Gently shaking each gift in wonder, it was like a dream come true. When I would hear my parents wrestle from their bed, I would quickly race back to my room, hide under the covers and wait for what felt like an eternity. I had been a good girl, and Santa had remembered me. Finally, my mom would come into my room, calling my name... Christmas was here! Stockings were always first. My brother and I would dump out the contents and open the gifts with delight. It wasn't until the "real" gifts were distributed that we were expected to open them one- by- one, waiting our turn. It was a miracle- Santa knew exactly what I had wanted and managed to provide for me and all of the other children in the universe, as well... It was a brutal moment when I figured out that there was no Santa, no reindeer, and that not all children grew up in this blissful world of fantasy. Not all children knew what it was like to have a Christmas tree (or some other symbol of the holiday which they celebrated), warm coco by the fire, a heated house, a home at all, a scrumptious breakfast after all of the presents had been revealed, and a family with whom to share the magic with. At this wondrous time of year, as I go through the litany of chores to prepare for a Christmas dinner with my loved ones, I think of these children. I ask that if each person who does have all of the aforementioned would reach out to those less fortunate than themselves, we could all enjoy the richness of this blessed holiday together. It is so easy to get caught up in our own needs and to be completely self-absorbed in the trappings of everyday life. But to ignore the children, the victims of a life in which they have no control over, is unconscionable, and I believe that each person can make a difference during this holiday season, and all year long. I hope that person will be you.
I remember sneaking out of bed long before daylight, crawling into the living room and searching for presents with my name on them. Gently shaking each gift in wonder, it was like a dream come true. When I would hear my parents wrestle from their bed, I would quickly race back to my room, hide under the covers and wait for what felt like an eternity. I had been a good girl, and Santa had remembered me. Finally, my mom would come into my room, calling my name... Christmas was here! Stockings were always first. My brother and I would dump out the contents and open the gifts with delight. It wasn't until the "real" gifts were distributed that we were expected to open them one- by- one, waiting our turn. It was a miracle- Santa knew exactly what I had wanted and managed to provide for me and all of the other children in the universe, as well... It was a brutal moment when I figured out that there was no Santa, no reindeer, and that not all children grew up in this blissful world of fantasy. Not all children knew what it was like to have a Christmas tree (or some other symbol of the holiday which they celebrated), warm coco by the fire, a heated house, a home at all, a scrumptious breakfast after all of the presents had been revealed, and a family with whom to share the magic with. At this wondrous time of year, as I go through the litany of chores to prepare for a Christmas dinner with my loved ones, I think of these children. I ask that if each person who does have all of the aforementioned would reach out to those less fortunate than themselves, we could all enjoy the richness of this blessed holiday together. It is so easy to get caught up in our own needs and to be completely self-absorbed in the trappings of everyday life. But to ignore the children, the victims of a life in which they have no control over, is unconscionable, and I believe that each person can make a difference during this holiday season, and all year long. I hope that person will be you.
I remember how magical Christmas was when I was even smaller then I am now. The sheer mystery and wonder of Santa...the hours and hours of waiting until the sun rose...and, of course, stuffing my face with sugar and tearing open wrapping paper like a frenzied animal. It's sad to think of those who are lacking that simple joy. Christmas is really about the joy of giving, though. It's easy enough to spare a few hours or dollars to help those less fortunate. That way, everyone can feel some Christmas joy.
ReplyDeleteI agree on how we can get caught up in our own little world when the holidays are near. I remember one year my family and I were walking downtown around the time of the holiday season and we kept seeing homeless people. It reminded me of how not everyone can enjoy a holiday. To not be with their family and their friends.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we all get excited for christmas, and somewhat get a little selfish in doing so. I used to count down minutes until I was allowed to rip open gift my gift, getting each and everything I wanted on my christmas list. But now that I'm older it's not as it used to be, I enjoy giving more than receiving and instead of writing what I want for christmas, I write a list of things that I'm appreciative for.
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