Christmas a time for family
By Jessica Rupell
Rocket Focus Editor
Issue date: 12/2/05 Section: Opinion
With Christmas just around the corner, the hustling and bustling season is in full swing. Advertisements for various sales have certainly been bombarding the television, newspapers, magazines and Internet. With Black Friday last week, it has become official: Christmas shopping will now be the obsession of most people until Dec. 25.
But why must shopping and presents consume our season? I realize that probably every year since you were five, someone has told you that there is so much more to Christmas than material gifts, but maybe that's because we tend to forget every year what Christmas really means. To those of us who are religious, it celebrates the wonderful birth of Christ, our Lord, and all of the wonderful things that He has provided us over the past year. But even if you aren't religious, Christmas still is so much more than sales and wrapping paper.
Losing a great deal of people in my life over the years, I have grown to realize the importance of family, especially at Christmas time. And you know what, I'm not going to sit here and feel sorry for myself or have anyone else feel sorry for me, because I know there are still many wonderful things in my life I need to be thankful for. However, it is true that you don't know what you have until it's gone.
I can vividly remember when we would have all of the family come over to my dad's house about a week before Christmas for our pre-holiday dinner. At the time, I didn't realize what these gatherings meant, but the fact that these will never be the same, nor probably happen ever again saddens me, as my dad now lives in Texas, my one uncle now lives in Florida, my step-grandmother has since passed, and my other uncle just passed away last week.
Sure, some gifts were exchanged, but as I look back, the times I remember most from our gatherings were being able to see family that I had not seen in months. We caught up, laughed, shared stories, ate great food and just enjoyed each other's company. It sounds like a corny little story, but it's true.
On the other side of my family, I can remember playing numerous card games after dinner, most likely initiated from my Mom-mom or Pop-pop. The games could go on for hours, but we all loved them just the same. And these games were always important to me, and always will remain important to me, because they proved that gifts and money were not what the holidays were about, but rather time spent as a family. God rest their souls, for Christmas time always seems to make me miss them more.
It's as though the things I remember about Christmas are never about the gifts, but the memories I have with my family and friends during this joyous holiday season. Of course, gifts will always be exchanged, but I hope I have once again reminded you that although we may get caught up in the shopping, stop and remember why we celebrate this holiday. Family is more important than any material good.
Happy Holidays and God Bless.
But why must shopping and presents consume our season? I realize that probably every year since you were five, someone has told you that there is so much more to Christmas than material gifts, but maybe that's because we tend to forget every year what Christmas really means. To those of us who are religious, it celebrates the wonderful birth of Christ, our Lord, and all of the wonderful things that He has provided us over the past year. But even if you aren't religious, Christmas still is so much more than sales and wrapping paper.
Losing a great deal of people in my life over the years, I have grown to realize the importance of family, especially at Christmas time. And you know what, I'm not going to sit here and feel sorry for myself or have anyone else feel sorry for me, because I know there are still many wonderful things in my life I need to be thankful for. However, it is true that you don't know what you have until it's gone.
I can vividly remember when we would have all of the family come over to my dad's house about a week before Christmas for our pre-holiday dinner. At the time, I didn't realize what these gatherings meant, but the fact that these will never be the same, nor probably happen ever again saddens me, as my dad now lives in Texas, my one uncle now lives in Florida, my step-grandmother has since passed, and my other uncle just passed away last week.
Sure, some gifts were exchanged, but as I look back, the times I remember most from our gatherings were being able to see family that I had not seen in months. We caught up, laughed, shared stories, ate great food and just enjoyed each other's company. It sounds like a corny little story, but it's true.
On the other side of my family, I can remember playing numerous card games after dinner, most likely initiated from my Mom-mom or Pop-pop. The games could go on for hours, but we all loved them just the same. And these games were always important to me, and always will remain important to me, because they proved that gifts and money were not what the holidays were about, but rather time spent as a family. God rest their souls, for Christmas time always seems to make me miss them more.
It's as though the things I remember about Christmas are never about the gifts, but the memories I have with my family and friends during this joyous holiday season. Of course, gifts will always be exchanged, but I hope I have once again reminded you that although we may get caught up in the shopping, stop and remember why we celebrate this holiday. Family is more important than any material good.
Happy Holidays and God Bless.
