'Tis the Season ...

Now, how many places does it snow on Christmas in real life? And why does it always snow in the movies, even if you are south of the equator? I am sure people in Australia decorate their trees with crystal snowflake ornaments and then go out and barbecue. Why is snow so essential to Christmas?

We feel that Christmas is taking over other cultures. We try to say "Happy Holidays" and sing Hanukkah songs. There are desi families who give their kids gifts on Diwali. But, there is no escaping Christmas. You can either celebrate Christmas or Christmasize your festival with carols and gifts.

I am not a gift kinda person. However, the brats (and I) love Christmas. Christmas is Hot Chocolate (with Grand Marnier after the brats are asleep). Christmas is soft lighting and handsome people. Christmas is pretty packages with perfect ribbons. Christmas is candy canes and chocolates and gingerbread lattes. Christmas is soft, clean, snow that does not turn into slush. Christmas is large families that don't fight, and don't have dishwashers (so late at night, when everyone is asleep, the hero and heroine do the dishes and kiss).

Question: In real life, when has a mom gone to bed and left her unwed daughter to make out in her kitchen?

Christmas is no longer just the celebration of the birth of Christ. It is no longer religious. It is a celebration of the longing for that unreal, unattainable, world, that is yours just for that moment when you sip your hot chocolate, sigh, and dream.

It is the season to be happy. It is the season to try and fill that void between the real world and that unattainable, perfect world. It is the season to buy. To buy trees - real and plastic, gifts that no one needs, packaging for the gifts that will go into the landfull, glitter for the trees, bigger garages where we can store the glitter, lights for the house, electricity for the lights, ...

I know I should not love Christmas for what it is - but I love it exactly for that! Go figure.