Post Holiday Wrapup

OK SO now the first holiday, Christmas, ahs come and gone, and this year I didn't feel as festive as in year's past. It seems that my two boys, Josh and Jeremy, are oblivious to the true meaning of Christmas, at least in the religious sense. The little one especially, is more interested in the presents he received rather than the reason that Christmas is celebrated. Perhaps next year the gifts won't be so free flowing.

This can be attributed to the statements made in my last update, that being of the commercialization of the birth of Christ. Everything is a sale. Ther is a pre holiday Christmas sale, the after Christmas Sale, and the New Year's sale coming up. It seems that the global push of capitalism has caught up with me, at least in my thinkings. I have had experienced some good Christmases, where the spirit is there, and I've celebrated some bad Christmases where the Christmas spirit was dampened by those who I celebrated Christmas with. One of best Christmas days by far I've had was in 1986, when I was in the Philippines at my uncle's house and I was able to witness a part of how he celebrates it. Back then, my uncle opened his gate and let people in. He would then give sacks of rice and slippers to the people who came to greet him. Thise people were indeed grateful. When I was there I witnessed it in the morning, and by noon, he was all out of rice, and retired to his room. But around 1:30, I remember seeing a crowd starting to gather in front of his gate, and I went up to his room and told him that there are still many people who would like to receive gifts, but my uncle told me that he had no more rice to give. So I took matters into my own hands and stopped a fish ball vendor as well as a dirty ice cream vendor and proceeded to give those who were waiting some small gifts of ice cream and fish balls. They thanked me and I heard virtually no complaints, though one woman asked me to ask my uncle to open the gate again. I tapped out both of those vendors when another ice cream vendor came along and I hired him as well. My uncle caught wind of what I was doing and then opened his gate again and proceeded to have the employees of his film company to hand small gifts of money to the people. After it was all done. My uncle looked at me and smiled. He asked me why I did what I did and I replied, that it was the least I could do, and I asked him why he did what he did, and he said that he heard that I hired the food vendors and wanted to see what was going on, and in the process, he decided to again hand out small gifts as well. Never had I experienced the gift of giving like that and still, I don't think I have experienced anything like it. Today, its all about Starbucks gift cards, dirt bike gear and remote control cars and Louis Vuitton handbags. . .