On Christmas...

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following are of mine alone and do not reflect that of Peace Corps or of the U.S. government.

Christmas is a wonderful holiday. Yes, I’m aware that you’re probably thinking to yourself: “no duh it is...” But believe it or not, this is a new realization for me. And the fact is, Christmas isn’t the only part of American culture that I undeniably took for granted while living in America. As shocking as it is, there was a reason why I wanted to leave that over-sized, over-weight, over-populated, fast-paced, hypocritical hodgepodge of a country. But now having spent over a year abroad, I have to say I miss those little things about American culture that used to tick me off. One of those being Christmas.

I’ve always believed that the holiday we all know as Christmas was actually stolen from the Pagans ages ago and is now simply an excuse for retailers to take advantage of consumers. The real idea behind Christmas (if ever there was one) has been lost. Christmas has essentially become this massive black hole of greed and consumerism that will suck you in and rob you of everything for the sake of self-respect and dignity. To buy things simply for the purpose of outdoing those who have bought you things is to surrender to the pressure created by our society. Naturally, those who conform to this materialistic holiday of greed and indulgence deserve nothing less than the debt that inevitably results from such reckless and frivolous spending. Call it ‘The Spirit of Giving’ all you want. It’s a load of crap.

At least that’s what I used to think.

Having missed out on Christmas last year, I’m actually finding that I want to experience it in all its horrifically glorified greediness. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still appalled at the idea of buying things for the sake of buying things, but I think it’s the spirit of Christmas itself that I so deeply miss. The more I experience different cultures, the more I’m coming to realize that materialism is very deeply rooted in the mentality of many societies. It isn’t just America. It’s everywhere. Sure, there are exceptions, but what I’m starting to understand is that the joy of buying things (whether you’re buying them for yourself or for someone else) is very human.

We’ve all heard the saying, ‘money can’t buy happiness’, which is true, but what if a simple toy given to a child who has nothing creates a moment of happiness in that child’s life? Does that mean money can buy happiness? Or is it the act of selflessly giving that toy to a child in need that creates the happiness? Would the same feeling be created if that child were given money to go out and buy something? And is the initial act of giving really selfless if it creates a sense of pride in the individual doing the giving?

These are questions not meant to be answered, so please don’t try.

Now, what makes Christmas so special if it’s not about buying things? I’ve come to realize that the hectic Christmas shopping and obsession with material goods is only a small aspect of what Christmas actually is. What makes Christmas so unique is the belief that a small moment of pure happiness will manifest itself every year on December 25th. Even if children no longer believe in Santa Clause, they still hold on to the naïve notion that on Christmas morning, bright-colored packages will be stacked neatly beneath the sparkling evergreen tree standing tall and proud in the family room. Whether or not this is true happiness, I haven’t the foggiest. But no other holiday in the world leaves that spark of imagination in the minds of children. It’s fascinating when you think about it. On Christmas morning all that hustle and bustle from the holiday shopping doesn’t seem to mean jack.

But this childhood belief that some otherworldly saint in a red coat magically appears in your house every year on Christmas Eve isn’t the only thing this gluttonous holiday represents. A lot of people, I feel, have forgotten that it’s also about giving to those in need. Now, I know what you’re thinking... “wait... didn’t I just read that the ‘Spirit of Giving’ was a load of crap?” Yes, you did. And yes it is. BUT! (Yes, there is a but. And a nice, firm one, too). Giving to those in need is not the same as giving to the spoiled children of rich relatives. In fact, it is very different. Christmas, in this sense, is a cultural phenomenon meant to spread the wealth in a given population. The only thing is, human nature kicks in and suddenly you find yourself buying that cool, expensive, video game for your nephew while donating a couple of bucks to some unknown charity in hopes that it might do some good. After all, it is human nature to put family above strangers. But isn’t it odd that we would rather give things to children who already have everything instead of those who have nothing? Culturally, are we looked down upon if a toy is given to a child who has nothing instead of a relative who has everything? Does this really matter as long as a child gets something? Does it matter if the child is rich or poor? And who determines which is which? Is blood really thicker than water?

I guess this leads into my next inarticulate ramble about Christmas. And that is family. Believe it or not, I feel Christmas is also about spending time with those crazy relatives who force you to eat too much, then blabber on about how you need to lose weight. Yes, as hard as it is to believe, spending time with the people you care about is one of the most important things about Christmas. It doesn’t matter if those people you care about are friends or relatives; it’s about sharing the anomaly that is Christmas. I didn’t realize this until last year on Christmas Eve night when I was walking home from my youth center in the pouring down rain, alone and thinking of home. I was sick that night, too; and walking home to a Moroccan family who couldn’t care less about me and my strange American culture. It’s amazing what goes through your mind during times like these.

Ok, now I’m really rambling. I’ll wrap this up (no pun intended). Basically, what I’m trying to say is that I miss everything about Christmas. And I mean everything. I miss the red velvet bows, the candy canes, the sparkling lights on houses, the inaccurate manger scenes, the gaudy decorations, the fat old men in red suits at malls, reindeer, elves, pointy shoes, pointy hats, toys, shopping, traffic, mounds of people trying to check out at once, even the horrible Christmas music that stores play over and over until you want to rip the speakers out of the walls and crush them just to keep more innocent shoppers from being subjected to such inhumane torture devices... Yes, I miss every little detail about Christmas.

Overall, it’s probably good that I missed Christmas last year. Because this year I’m going to experience it in a way I never have before. I’m going to enjoy it. All of it. Down to the very last drop of frothy, calorie-filled eggnog. For the first time in my life, I’m going to experience it the way it was meant to be experienced. So help me, I will even enjoy the infamous labyrinth of doom known only as “The Mall.”