It Must Be Christmas

When I was a kid I was typically sick around Christmas. Yes, yes, the social workers in the crowd are exclaiming deep-seeded issues around "family of origin" this and "inner child" that.

Whatever.

I have never been a big fan of Christmas.

I totally dig Thanksgiving. That's my holiday. :) It's not the food - although that's a great benefit. It's more about the sentiment: gratitude. Those having grown up and sticking with Christian denominations will point to the celebration of Jesus' birthday on December 25th (which in and of itself is embroiled with the whole birthday/Winter Solstice debate).

This holiday has long seemed to be about getting and tallying: "What did you get for Christmas?" Sure, many ask "how was your Christmas?" But that is typically followed by the "get" question. I know, my Buddhism is showing - but for me it's still not about getting. And I was really shown that this year.

So I'm home. I'm sick. Because it's Christmas - and for many years I was sick at Christmas - I think a lot of it was stress as a college kid taking finals (and I get sick when I'm stressed). Then there was holiday travel, blah, blah, blah... so I got sick at Christmas. In the past few years I wasn't - eh - but this year I am.

Anyway, back to my couch and Kleenex box (and it IS Kleenex btw), I was sick this year. Christmas Eve I was to have plans. I was sick - and so is my car (don't get me started on that). I missed out on dinner with the best family ever... so on Christmas day I am feeling a bit better and make dinner. As I am cleaning up - I hear my house phone ringing. Two people have my home phone and I've talked to one of them today...

And the number I see on the ID isn't the other guy's. It is Em: mommy in the best family ever. She comes over and delivers the best Christmas I can remember. I didn't ask for Christmas - but she brought it to me. It literally brought tears to my eyes - and it takes a lot to make me cry.

The moral of the story: it's about giving, and sometimes the gifts come when you least expect them and from the most unlikely of places. This has been my family-away-from-family for a long time, but I was absolutely blown away and speechless by the love they showed me. No - gave me.

I don't know that Christmas will ever edge out Thanksgiving as my favorite holiday, but this year it beat the hell out of it in terms of gratitude.