Merry Christmas!

Last few minutes before Christmas Day of 2007 slips away, never to return.

Despite myself and my aversity to the holiday, Christmas this year exceeded my expectations.

I think, deep in my heart of hearts, I love Christmas and all it stands for. It's just that I cannot stand the commercialised aspects of what could have been a good thing.

The meaningless giving of meaningless presents as a social activity.
The poor excuse for all the incessant and continuous debauchery.
The ridiculously out-of-proportion pressure being manufactured.

Therefore I hate Christmas, and I hate what it has evolved to become, a twisted machination of man's greedy makings.

I hate the fact that the work of men always turns what is good and lovely into something ugly and fake and mercenary.

It somewhat reminds me of the story, Midas' touch. In it, whatever Midas touched turned into gold. Most think him lucky, but personally, I think him pitiful. Because whatever he touched turned into paltry sordid gold. Anything and everything became squalid, vile, and lewd.

At which point did we turn into something like that? Why don't we have the ability or the capacity to retain what is good and lovely and noble, that which is worthy and principled and admirable? Or must everything that we touch turn cold and hard and stamped with $$ signs?

Maybe I'm being too harsh here. One way to test the meaning of Christmas in our lives is...

When we think of Christmas, do we think of friendship, of hope and faith and love?

Or do we think of having to buy what present for whom, what dress to wear to which party, retail therapy, and indulgent feeding and drinking and partying?

What really is the true meaning of Christmas to you?