I just came from our local elementary school, and was at first dismayed, then appalled when informed my son could not give out four Gingerbread Men cookies he helped bake and decorate for his four closest friends.
It seems the rule at this school is if you want to give one child something, you have to give one to everyone in the class to be fair… really?
FAIR… Christmas is not about being fair, it is not about making sure everyone gets exactly the same amount or thing… Granted that would make Santa’s life easier. “Hey Elves this year we are only making one toy, and every child gets the same size, the same color and the same amount, one, so it’s fair.
I admit it, let me be the first to herald it through the carefully politically correct ‘Seasons Greetings’ decorated streets, “Christmas is about generosity and giving.”
Isn’t it really about giving something to those close to you, as a way of saying thank you for being my friend, my family, my loved one? And, again yes (trumpets in the background this time) it is about giving to those who are less fortunate. Christmas is the perfect time to help out those in need… though really that should be a year-long endeavor don’t you think?
If we continue on this path, to dictate what everyone should get, so that it is always fair, Christmas will lose that wonderful meaning, so well portrayed in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ and ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ it will simply have no meaning, religious or otherwise, it will lose its luster and no longer be the special day it has been for so long… it will just be another Federally mandated Welfare Program. Hey maybe then you can go stand in line and pick up your Government approved Holiday Gift to take home and open on Holiday Day.
I got an idea, this year why don’t we treat everyone as an individual, with individual desires, wants and needs…. let’s make the world, its people, rituals, and customs unique and special again.
Okay… I’ll stop now, I have Christmas presents to wrap and Christmas carols to listen to.
So to all of you… have yourselves a Merry little Christmas now!
Don’t even get me started on those trying to homogenize all the Religious Holidays into one generic event…
