Tuesday, December 23, 2008

If I could have just one wish for Christmas.......

Merry Christmas.

See.

That’s not so hard to say.

Merry Christmas.

Two words.

Merry Christmas.

Two words that mean so much more than what most people think when you hear them.

For some reason we’re not supposed to say Merry Christmas anymore. Businesses are not supposed to send Christmas Cards they’re supposed to send “Holiday” cards. Too many people are offended by Merry Christmas.

How can you be offended by Merry Christmas?

I know what some of you are thinking. That I’m going to rant about Christmas being about celebrating the birth of Christ. That’s not going to happen here. You see that’s what we Italians call a “given”. I don’t need to explain that one.

I’m talking about the Christmas spirit, something that anyone regardless of race or religion can enjoy. Even godless communists can enjoy the Christmas Spirit. The “feeling” of Christmas.

Forget buying stuff. Forget the shopping and the madness of the malls. Forget about religion for a moment. Just concentrate of the feeling of Christmas.

Is peace on earth goodwill towards “man” a bad thing?

As tough as the economy is right now can’t we all just spend nothing more than a moment to think of family and friends?

Things cost money. Feelings, thoughts and imagination are free. That’s where the true meaning of Christmas really lies.

It’s a small world and we’re not here that long. I wish that feeling of Christmas could last all year but it can’t. As the human race we will never all agree on everything and in the end we’ll probably never have global peace. It just doesn’t work that way.

History will remember some of us. Most of us will be remembered only by family and friends. And some… some will be forgotten never really known by anyone.

But for a time each year all of us can share, whether we know each other or not, whether we are enemies or friends, a moment, a brief moment where the feeling of goodwill and friendship is extended.

A Merry Christmas moment.

Say Merry Christmas.

Mean it when you say it.

Let people know you wish them well. Give them a Merry Christmas moment. It doesn’t cost a dime.

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas.

I leave you with the words from my favorite Christmas song.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
gather near to us once more.

Through the years we all will be together
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Merry Christmas!