Christmas is just around the corner and Halloween will soon be a foggy memory.
A Gallup poll estimated that this year American’s will spend $900 dollars on Christmas gifts alone. But despite the fact that the holiday season can feel as though it was invented solely by retail businesses, there is still that ever present holiday spirit that seems to take over in December.
There is something about the cheesy songs, the smell of a freshly cut pine tree and sparkling lights on houses that keeps Christmas on my mind... All year round.
In the middle of July when temperatures are soaring into the hundreds and flip flops are the main attire, I dream of December. Gloves, jackets, and the creepiness of mall santas and fake snow slip into my inner thoughts as the heat soars.
The almost unbearable and uncompromising valley heat seems as if it will last forever and then all of a sudden, just when you think that you can’t take it anymore, store shelves are stocked with poinsettias, endless supplies of wrapping paper and everything red and green.
We go crazy decorating our homes, we shop, and bake cookies for people that we love. We mail out cute Christmas cards on time, (unlike our power bills) and we whisper to each other about our about our neighbors hideous light-up snowman ... It’s so much fun! It’s so much better than summer!
But what does the Christmas spirit really boil down to?
With our cute Christmas cards alone we produce , about “six million tons of extra waste nationwide. The 2.6 billion holiday cards sold each year in the United States could fill a football field 10 stories high,” according to GreenTreks Network, Inc
So what is it about Christmas, that still enchants me to send out cards and bake cookies?
And why doesn’t the so called Christmas spirit last all year long?
More people seem to donate to charities and volunteer their time to others who are in need during the holiday seasons.
Think of all that we could accomplish if we held on to that holiday spirit all year long. It is the one time of year that tends to bring out the best in people, maybe that’s why I dream about Christmas in the middle of July.
1 comment:
The column seems to suffer from wild swings of mood.
On one hand - and the more entertaining side - is the 'I love Christmas' scenarios which are pretty well done and heartfelt.
But when it lapses into the Christmas critique, it's fuzzier:
'With our cute Christmas cards alone we produce , about “six million tons of extra waste nationwide. The 2.6 billion holiday cards sold each year in the United States could fill a football field 10 stories high,” according to GreenTreks Network, Inc '
Interesting point and backed up with a source, but what does it mean?
Ho-Ho.
The last paragraph might have actually been better as the first paragraph, setting the tone by saying something about all the stuff we could accomplish with a good Christmas spirit all year.
And then the column could have filled out to a full 600 words.
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