What Christmas Means to Me

I few years ago I loved that song because somehow it was not played every fifth minute during the season. I'm trying so hard to preserve it because every other song bugs me for individual reasons but also because you cannot escape them.

Last year I was in a jolly mood from beginning to end of the season. I realized it was because I did most of my shopping online. That means the long lines and fixating on an appropriate present for my sister-in-law was not saturated by another round of Frosty the Snowman. Instead, the rush of last minute shopping was softened by Baby, It's Cold Outside and I was able to escape before Do They Know It's Christmas made me want to go kill myself (for more than one reason).

How dare you make this sweater purchase seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things?

I was not so smart this time around and did a eight hour shopping spree with my brother. I have this thought every year and for some reason it still sneaks up on me. The reason these songs make me want to stab my fellow man is because it's the same six songs over and over again. Just because this version is from Eartha Kitt and this version is from Madonna and the next version is being quickly recorded by some Disney tween bitch so we can hear it before we leave, it's the same damn song. Different inflection doesn't change it that much. Any parent getting nagged to get off the phone by a three year old doesn't care that the kid changes the way they say "Mom, mom, mom, mom, mom." (Feel free to mentally high five me right now in understanding.)

So what's the solution? Mariah Carey came up with something over fifteen years ago and now people must take that whole concept and run with it. Creativity, imagination, SOMETHING NEW!

I'm going to leave you with a story to put things in perspective for your holiday. In Old Navy I was making a purchase when a teenage girl came up to me and asked if I was purchasing at least fifty dollars worth of stuff. I thought that shouldn't she be on the other side of the counter if she was going to offer me an Old Navy credit card or something? When I answered yes, she handed me a coupon for ten dollars off a fifty dollar purchase. I was touched. To me, that's a Christmas miracle.

Okay, not really. But that's taking the economic crunch of the time and sharing with others that which can help others save. In the most basic form, it's sharing with a stranger and I was touched. It could have happened to someone else, but it happened to me and I couldn't stop smiling at the kindness of that young lady. I said "Merry Christmas". Yeah I probably made it super corny for her, but if she thought I was a dork, she didn't say it. I thanked the adult she was with as well.

After the savings kicked in, there was a fifteen off a seventy five dollar purchase coupon returned to me. I saw a guy with a ton of stuff in his bag to I sent it over to him. Was I trying to ride the girl's generosity? Perhaps. But for the most part, it was little effort to pay it forward and I hope that guy enjoys the extra fifteen in his pocket. (Smash cut to that guy buying weed with it.) God bless is every one!