Holly Jolly Christmas..

I read this in class yesterday:
"I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys." ~Charles Dickens

I used to love Christmas so much. Now, I stress for a month prior to Christmas and dread it.

You know what I think of when I think of Christmas? I don't think about the Shopping Days Left or how many presents I have under the tree. You know what I think of when I think of MY Christmas?
My grandparents.

When I was younger, Christmas wasn't about "finding the perfect present" and in turn causing yourself to have a massive amount of stress. It was about getting together and spending time with your family.
Now, my family can't even make time to all get together more than once a year. I can't remember any of the presents I got last year for Christmas (actually the only one I remember is my sister necklace, which I wear ALL ZE TIME!), but I can remember dancing in my grandparents TV room to Richard Simmons "Sweatin' to the Oldies" when I was 3 years old.

What has Christmas come to? When spending over $800 on Christmas presents was a means of showing the Christmas spirit? I miss when the only stress I had in my life around Christmas was playing capture the flag in my grandparents basement in the dark.

If you want to get me a present for Christmas, I'll tell you exactly what I want. I want books to read my daughter before bedtime, and I want you to donate to an angel on the Christmas trees at stores, and I want you to all come home for Christmas. That's truly what Christmas is all about.

Now, let's not forget...there are only 38 shopping days left for "Christmas."