The Christmas Tree Came Down Today

My brother and his wife (more like my sister) left for Long Island at 12 noon today and even before they left I started to take down the Christmas Tree. Since they are such close family, they do not consider this kind of behavior rude.
I almost always let out a sigh of relief when the Christmas Holidays are over. It is not that I don't like Christmas, it is simply that it is all too much, similar to eating too large a portion of a rich desert. Every year I try to simplify Christmas but I never quite get there.
I think I have a pretty good handle on what is important to me about Christmas. The older I get the more attached I become to the concept of the newborn Christ Child and the hope that this special birth implies. I believe that Love was born at Christmas and this brings me hope and peace. I love getting together and spending time with family and friends - that is the part of Christmas I really love. I like seeing the lights that people put up on their homes. In the cold and darkness of winter these lights seem to shine all the more brightly.
There are, however, a lot of things about the holidays that make me sad. It seems that everyone is suppose to be happy and festive and this makes sad occurrences even more depressing. We actually attended two funeral services over the holidays. It doesn't seem right that someone should die during the Christmas holidays. People who are feeling sad are surrounded by people who are in a party mood and this just doesn't seem right to me. It's nobody's fault, but just not right.
I fill up with tears every time I hear the song, "I'll be Home for Christmas", because it reminds me of the year that Uncle Joe O'Donnell was killed in action on Heartbreak Ridge in Korea. We received the news of Joe's death in late October 1951 and that Christmas was a heart breaker for the entire O'Donnell family. "I'll be Home for Christmas" had special meaning that year and it still has special meaning for me whenever I hear it.
Sixteen years ago, my sister and brother-in-law had a little boy, Joseph, in early December. He was born prematurely and only lived for 24 days. I always think of him as the December Child as he lived for most of the month of December and then died the day after Christmas. I didn't feel much hope that year. Anger was my predominant emotion. I threw the Christmas tree out the back door and smashed some of our ornaments on our back patio. The Christmas miracle we had been hoping for didn't come to pass. I guess we will always think about little Joseph during the Christmas holidays.
So it seems that being together and having others to share are joys and our sorrows is what Christmas is all about. This we can do all year long so that every day will be like Christmas.
May you have people who love you to share your joys and your sorrows throughout 2010.
Mary Beth