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The Christmas Season

So the Christmas season is upon us and with that, endless commercials capitalizing on America's consumerist greed, cheesy, heartwarming movies galore on TV (Anne - stop watching those goofy lifetime movies..please?!) and gaudy decorations everywhere you turn.Now, don't get me wrong, I like Christmas, I really do but it frustrates me. I don't like anything that is shoved down my throat and the Christmas season does that in spades. I have long given up the gift giving tradition - choosing jobs that pay next to nothing my whole life kind of forced me into being stingy but I don't regret that. There are so many people in the world that don't have basic essentials that I find it really hard to stomach giving unnecessary gifts to the people I love. In years past, I have definitely been a scrooge - electing to ignore the season altogether. This year, I am trying to get into the spirit a bit more. Even though my three cats will make having a live tree a challenge to say the least, I am determined to try. I may come home from work each day to find the tree on the floor and the ornaments used as toys but I'm doing it anyway. I'm also going to watch some of my favorite Christmas movies. While I refuse to indulge in those godawful lifetime movies that my sister loves, I still enjoy the classics - "A Christmas Story," "A Christmas Carol" and of course my all time favorite, "It's a Wonderful Life." Incidentally all three of these movies are based on books. "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern inspired "It's a Wonderful Life," "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash", by Jean Shepherd inspired a "Christmas Story" and of course Dickens all time classic inspired over 30 film versions of the story. I love these movies and they never get old. The stories are classic and timeless even though some may say cheesy and over dramatic. I say whoever doesn't cry when Harry Bailey walks into the room to surprise George doesn't have a soul. I remember when I was a kid and "Its a Wonderful Life" was on one continuous loop in the month of December. Now you only get to see it on TV once or twice a year. You can now watch "Elf" on a continuous loop and although I love it, its not the same as the old grainy black and white magic that is George Bailey's life. Somehow, I am still moved every single time I have seen this movie and it has been over 30 times. How is this possible? I guess because the story is so eloquently simple and beautiful. Simple stories like this have the greatest power. I think this weekend will be my first viewing.

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