Bloggity Scroogity Blabbity Blab (and a little prayer too)

Can you believe we're this close to Christmas?
This close to the end of the year?
It's hard for me to wrap my mind around that.

Further than ever from most of the Christmas Yee Haw, it's easy for me to forget that it's that time of year unless I need to go to the Mall for some reason. I realize I'm most likely preaching to the choir, but I doubt the Baby Jesus or even Saint Nicholas would give half of a nickel for half of the nutso stuff we do this time of year. Which, I realize most people in the rest of the world really aren't doing. There are other meanings for Christmas for some and there is Hanukkah and there is Kwanzaa and there are many other holidays celebrated around us this time of year. Still, the frenzy... And what for? What is that phrase again? Dog the Wail.... Wag the Dog??? Tail the Barking Wag.....Jingle the Hail on the Tonky? Who told us we had to worship at the cathedral of consumerism in order to make this time of year complete? Let's just get real here. WHO are we doing this for?

Don't get me wrong... I'm not a complete scrooge. I'll be sending out the Christmas cards and giving reasonable and/or home made gifts and getting them and wrapping and singing and doing all of that but on a much less grand scale than I used to. But I'm no longer sitting around fooling myself that I'm doing it to celebrate Jesus and his birth. I'm doing it for me. And for family and friends and for tradition. Because I like to. Because I find meaning in it. This just happens to happen in a more concentrated amount during the month of December. (and in my circle of family and friends, that's because of Christmas mostly) There's nothing wrong with that. I'm all for a grand celebration of the extravagant Gift of Jesus which is what I believe the Birth of Christ is really about... I also think that Jesus was a little more down to earth than what we give Him credit for. I think he asks Who's this really about? It's not a judgment, not a condemnation. It's about Truth. And about being honest with ourselves. I think He'd ask that question and when he got the honest answer from us he'd throw an arm over our shoulder and say Great! Now, let's go get some of your friends/family, some fine wine and cheese, our favorite food, our favorite stories and our favorite games. Let's CELEBRATE!!

Jesus, I'm so glad you were born.
And I'm so glad you let us be who we are.
Help us Be Real, help us Do Good.