Diana Gammill
Christmas is almost here. (What an original and profound statement! Where else would it be this time of year?) Anyway, it’s nearly here and soon all the little toys will be delivered to all the little girls and boys. I hope I don’t get another doll again this year.
For my letter to Santa Claus this Christmas I’m sending him an inventory list from Neiman Marcus with a note attached: “Take it from the top and work down, Santa, Baby.”
You know, it’s funny to me, but it seems like every year Christmas waits longer and longer to come—and gets smaller and smaller in size. I remember a couple of years ago when I was in grade school that the Yuletide season seemed to envelope me in a magical atmosphere that had no equal. The whole world was decorated with a sparkling excitement draped tinsel-like through the holidays. Even after Christmas the uniqueness of the season lingered on and on as did the piney scent of the tree and the eternal bowl of hard candy which sometimes didn’t finally disappear until around Easter.
Now, Christmas is still Christmas, but oh, what a change! Money, money and more money is needed to supply gifts for this person and that, brother and cousin, best friend and favorite teacher. Of course giving is what the season is all about (and who doesn’t like to receive presents?), but what happened to all the real fun and mystery and wonderful surprise that perhaps really wasn’t much but seemed like heaven on earth to a child. I guess we just grow up.
Nowadays, pink aluminum Christmas trees, T.V. specials, and chocolate covered cherries make up the Yule season. No old fashioned Christmas. Who’s to gripe about the absence of the old fashioned Christmas with trips to Grandma’s, sleigh rides over the snowy countryside and taffy-making parties when we never knew anything like that.
To listen to the older generation talk you’d think the old days were the “Golden days of Perfection” in which Christmases were filled with unsurpassable grandeur. However, in a few years we will be able to tell our own children and grandchildren about the Christmas at Florida, the year Santa started coming to town in a helicopter, nativity scenes with “Made in Japan” stamped on the bottom and other seasonal traditions.
But what can you do? It would be nice to revert back to the old days of Christmas, but let’s face it—we’re stuck with our own modern holidays. So we might as well hang our Mor-Pul stretch socks on the thermostat, snuggle under our electric blankets and nod off to sleepyland while visions of imported tangerines dance through our heads.
Well, anyhow, Merry Christmas!