The song “What Christmas Means To Me” said it best:
Candles burning low,
Lots of mistletoe.
Lots of snow and ice,
Everywhere we go.
Choirs singing carols,
Right outside my door
All these things and more.
That’s what Christmas means to me my love.
–Stevie Wonder, What Christmas Means To Me
This has to be one of my Top Five Christmas Songs of all time. The tune is so happy, bright, and festive. It was a simpler time then in 1967 when the song was released as a part of a Motown Christmas album. The sleigh bells guiding the rhythm and The Funk Brothers getting in the groove riding the beat. Stevie effortlessly glides with his voice going through a change, and it sounds and feels like Christmas. The holidays. Love.
Christmastime is hands down my favorite time of year. It’s not the pomp and circumstance, although I must admit that I enjoy that part as well. Christmas means to me so many things that have nothing to do with money or commercialism or being greedy and/or spoiled.
It has everything to do with it being the one time of year that my nuclear family is together in my home, and the memories we make during this time.
Yes, there’s gifts. I spare no expense making sure that both of my kids have what they want and what they need. I scope out gifts that aren’t necessarily expensive, but mean something. A treasured item or trinket. Something that makes them remember a special time in their lives. For my son, it can be a specially engraved notebook that he can write his songs and lyrics in, or a t-shirt from a Nickelodeon show that he used to watch back in the day. It’s also stock in Apple and AMC Theaters to help grow his nest-egg, or cash to put towards his cellphone bill, or whatever.
For my daughter, it’s K-Pop everything.
It’s also a cash donation to a cause that my kids both feel strongly about. This year, that cause is the American Heart Association because my son had open heart surgery this year and we wanted to play a small part in paying it forward.
Christmas means to me laughter as we try to play a game that we’ve never played before, or the arguments that ensue when we are all trying to decide what movie we are going to watch on Christmas Eve night.
It’s my mom-in-law sneaking sweets that she’s not supposed to have because of her diabetes, or her talking to the television when she sees something she doesn’t agree with.
It’s the WonderLights show that we visit taking our car on a stroll to see an elaborate festival of lights.
We FaceTime my mom and all try to get in the screen wishing that she could be with us.
The stillness of the house when the two kids I birthed are under my roof at the same time, my son tucked away in my office/guest room and my daughter in hers, editing videos for Tik Tok while her cat whom she refers to as her support animal looks on.
I can’t forget my tree, glowing in all its glory and the time that we put in to make it look the best it can.
Pre-Covid house-hopping and ending up at my grandmother’s for the best food you’ve ever had in your life.
What Christmas means to me is ALL of these things, and so much more.
Why, you can’t put. a price on what Christmas means to me.
Most of all, it’s knowing that there’s a higher power that has blessed us with so much and the ability to celebrate these blessings together.
I wish you and yours the most amazing and memorable Christmas ever. Despite the goings on of the world, I hope and pray that this day is an especially special one for you all.
Leave a Reply