The jingles are annoying. The carols are boring (despite beautiful). The HoHoHos are getting old. What is Christmas if not presents? Gee I can't imagine a White Christmas in Vancouver. It's depressing already here at the equator. Overweight oldmen in velvet + Winter = suicide.
I must apologize if I offended you in anyway. But let me tell you about Christmas dissapointments.
Christmas is a disappointment when:
1. You spent your elementary years believing that Santa actually exist. Because your (then) bestfriend got presents. So when your (then) bff told you to pluck some grass to feed Santa's reindeers, you did. You left a plate of grass, cookies, a glass of milk and a heartful letter to Santa on the balcony of your house. Only to find that, many years later, your mother is a Buddhist.
2. You spent your years believing that Baby Jesus was delivered on 25th of December. Only to find that, many years later, Baby Jesus wasn't born in December to begin with. And the Christmas date as we celebrate now is of some pagan celebrations.
3. The Grinch, and many other movies about Christmas, have nothing to do with Christ. Then you realize that Christmas ia a cultural celebration. Which doesn't really establish itself in the middle of your family. I am of straits Chinese, living with Muslims, my father is a Catholic but I think he has forgotten his own religion and never hung around during Christmas. I went to Christian schools but everyone is away during Christmas. I know the story of Joseph and Mary and even played in the dramas but look at #2.
4. Christmas is not Christmas if it's not for the sale. Oh and boxing day. Probably also alcohol. But nothing Christians, since church is all about jingles and carols and those are headache. If you go to Catholic Church like I do, the fume is quite annoying too.
5. You spent years and years understanding what is Christmas. What actually does Christmas celebrate? And this year you realize, that Christmas is a start of holiday season. It is a transition from the equator to the cold north. Christmas this year, is a lot of things unfinished. So I had a little time to celebrate. Christmas this year, sans parties, is my family. There is a cloud of joy and sadness, I'm going back to Vancouver. My brother is going to live in other city starting January. Everything is different. And my mother was disorientated.
6. Christmas this year, I ask Santa to give my mother a capable husband. He doesn't have to be wrapped. Capable is enough. I wish that will not be a disappointment either.
So a lot of Christmas for me is about presents, if not all of it. I like to give presents. I take pride in finding and wrapping my presents. Presenting them nicely and to know that the recipients find them useful. Hopefully meaningful. But many years forward, I realize that only a few people understand that presents are actually personal. It is the thought that this other person actually put an effort to find you a present. Someone knows you enough not to ask what do you want for Christmas. Isn't that nice?
Nah. Maybe a wad of cash is nicer, easier, more efficient. But after years of that treatment, I find myself losing the essence of Christmas.