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Down The Middle - Dec 18, 2004 - Printable Version
- And So This is Christmas
by Down The Middle
No doubt about it, it’s Christmas time again! The air is turning cold, the leaves are falling and the smell of wood smoke fills the air of suburban America. Some kind person even placed a tin of peanut brittle on my dining table which, I might add, was deee-licious. {My dentist and I, both appreciate it}. Yes, the season is upon us and all the good cheer and love is spreading throughout the land. {“That as*hole took my parking space”...“Yeah, faulk you, too, buddy”.}
Actually, I began avoiding the Mall “thing” some years back, and most of what little I do buy for Christmas is purchased online. {My immediate family exchanges gifts that are useful in the normal course of living, such as basic clothes and a few “luxury gifts”, mostly CDs and DVDs...which, I suppose, can be considered “basic necessities” to artistic types like my daughter and myself.} She and I also make candles {a much more personal gift} for many of our friends and family.
The online “shopping” season started out fine this year, until one company rejected my order, citing the banks refusal to except my card. No problem, just call the bank and they’ll “fix” the problem. Three phone calls to the bank, guaranteeing me the card was “good”, and three repeats of having my order refused, I surrendered to the electronic gods and switched to another card, finally getting the order processed. No big thing.
Even with the imperfections of electronic banking, I was off to a good start, and now I would have more time to enjoy the holiday festivities in my community, such as registering for a new car being given away by the local “merchants association” {purchase required for entries}...and while everyone’s standing out in the freezing cold, catching pneumonia while “praying” that their ticket will be drawn, they can enjoy the recently acquired “Main” street Christmas lights. {Don’t worry about the “near third” of the bulbs that aren't burning...if they were, they’d be just as dull and colorless as the other two-thirds.} After the drawing, we can all cruise around the neighborhoods to see who will win the “Clark Griswold” lighting contest this year. It looks like the competition’s going to be pretty stiff.
I know, I know! I read all that environmentalist stuff about our holiday waste and pollution
www.faulkingtruth.com/Articles/GlobalWarning/1014.html ...“but, what the hell, it’s Christmas!”...and while we’re out, let’s not forget to check out that new fifteen foot tall Santa {“It looks like it was made out of Coke cans...really!”}, out by the “Main” street off-ramp into town. {I wonder, if anyone else noticed, they faced the “aluminum can Santa sculpture” towards town, so he would be waving at us, instead of welcoming guests to the community.} Oh, what the heck. I’m not going to let a few little annoyances upset my Christmas...I’m going to Walmart and buy a tree!!! {I know it’ll be super crowded this time of year... but maybe, I’ll be able to slip past those pesky Salvation Army people. They always make you feel so guilty.} Wait a minute! Should I get a real tree...or maybe one of those artificial ones? Damn, I wish those old people would get out of my way!
Jesus, how did we ever get to this? Somehow, Christmas isn’t anything about Christ anymore...or even love and charity. It’s all about big screen TVs and diamond earrings. It’s about fifteen foot “Coke can” Santas and “Clark Griswold” light shows. It’s about finding a parking space and fighting your way through the crowd...and it’s damn sure about winning that new car! {I hope the police bring their homeland security gear. There could be trouble, with this mob.}
I have to question what has happened to us, as a people and a nation? A people that seems all too consumed with...ah, consuming. A people that stuffs themselves past the point of obesity, while children go hungry! A nation that conquers other nations, plundering their resources, so rich men may become richer! Have we become so selfish a people that we forget about the poor, the sick, and the elderly, while busying ourselves with satisfying our own many wants and desires!
Christmas, you say? Well, apparently, somewhere along the way, Walmart and the local merchant’s association {aided by the wild eyed masses of frantic possession mongers} traded in peace and love, for ole St. Nick. Now, I’m not set against ole St. Nick {In fact, I’ve always been quite fond of him!}, and Christmas is a very special time of year for me...but receiving masses of “stuff” {George Carlin said, “A house is where you keep your stuff, while you’re out getting more stuff.”} will not fill empty hearts. To put a price tag on love is not only a foolish endeavor...but a fruitless one.
To all of you...and indeed, to all the world, my Christmas wish is the same, once again, this year. Peace on Earth and good will towards men.
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
by John Lennon
So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun
And so happy Christmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear,
War is over, if you want it
War is over now
A special “Happy Christmas” from me, to Lady Leigh, Saucy Ceci {Cecilia}, "Alright!" Mike, "Glowing" Amber, Lily of the Valley, and all of the gang at the Faulking Truth.
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