“Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space.” ~Dave Barry
I confess, two years ago I did venture out on Black Friday to get an external hard drive that was on sale at Wal-Mart. I didn’t bother to stay out over night in line to get in, I just showed up at the opening bell at 5 am and went in hoping there might be one left for me. My plan was to leave and go back to bed should there not be any left by the time I got in the store. All went well, I was not pushed, shoved, sprayed or shot, what a relief! The only traumatizing experience that I experienced was the one hour wait to go through the line to get out of the store, but even then it went well for me! The electronics department was on the far end of the store and from that department there was a line that practically circles the entire mega-store. I circled back around to the other end of the store and found a line from the garment section that had a line to the cash register that was only a dozen people deep and got out of there not having even suffered serious legs pains for having to wait half a day to pay! Wow!
Despite the fact that I survived Black Friday, I decided that I would not do this ever again. I am much more in favor of Cyber Monday from the comfort of my home clicking buttons on a screen happy to stay out of the jungle. I am all for saving, I am thankful for the new handy gadgets and tools that have been created, but it is saddening to me that we have gotten to the point that these trinkets have gotten to be all important to the point that they have become the spirit of the holidays! As a child I really looked forward to Christmas, not only because of the gifts I might get at , but for the Christmas spirit of that time while I was growing up. The carols, the snow, the houses with their decorations! We would drive through neighborhoods just take in the sites and beautiful paintings and lights that were displayed. It would bring our family closer together as it was a time to enjoy the tree that we decorated in our living room.
Now it has become yet another massive commercial-fest that I begin to dread as early now as November. It has gotten to the point that I am looking forward to the end of the season almost before it begins. It has become a stress filled occasion rather than one that can be enjoyed together. Of course, I strive to this day to recreate that magical spirit that I had experienced as a child, once for my own kids and now for my grand kids. I so desire for them to know what Christmas and Thanksgiving really represent instead of it becoming some materialistic stress-filled mega-madness.
Do you find peace in the midst of the storm? Are you able to enjoy the season without it overcoming you? Share your thoughts!
