Twas the Day After Christmas


Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the store, the merchants and customers were screaming, "More, more, more."

On Christmas Eve Day, I was watching a little TV. Several commercials from retailers were touting their after Christmas sales. I think there should be moratorium on such ads. I understand first mover advantage, but it seems unholy to market such a sale before the after on a holiday like Christmas. Let Christmas be that one celebration where the day stands alone, not trammeled underfoot for what comes after.

Several years ago, my extended family went from buying gifts for each other, to buying one gift for one person in a present exchange, to no gifts for anyone besides the kids. I do purchase gift cards for the children but my own personal gift count take this year was zero. Nothing at all.  My presents appear to be in the past. I am OK with that because I find not participating in the commercial side of Christmas creates room for spiritual reflection. Make room for He who had no room.

I discovered a book on my shelf that had somehow survived the great book donation campaign that is titled "Letters of Faith through the Seasons" by the author James M. Houston, which is a collection of historical letters written from one party to another regarding some period of time in the Church Calendar between Advent and Easter. Since I started the book only two days ago, I had to read December 1 to December 23 in a day to catch up but now I will take it a day at a time, allowing the lessons in the letters contained to sink in and melt like snow into my soul.

I think the book was a gift from a friend many moons ago and as such the gift that had remained unopened from cover to cover is now blessing me so. As it turns out, a gift that was given is now a gift again. Re-gifting in the purest sense. Maybe rather than madly pursuing more new gifts, better to go back and appreciate the gifts we already have?   

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