The McCollumn -12/23: "How I learned to stop worrying and love/tolerate Christmas"

I’ve never been a huge fan of Christmas.

Call me Ebenezer Scrooge if you must (and my own mother does, so feel free to join in), but I’ve always found it to be an odd holiday.

I won’t even dive into the the arguments about when Christ was actually born (July) or what decorated pine trees have to do with first century Judea (nothing). That’s starting a fight I’m not ready for yet.

I’ve just never been one to “get into the Christmas spirit.”

The way you people talk about it, the more it sounds like a cult – of the Jim Jones, tracksuit wearing, Kool-Aid drinking variety – and I’m not going out like that.

Decorations festooned with gold, red and green haunt me everywhere, starting in the middle of October, because retailers can’t wait to get their hands on your money.

Yes, for most of my life, I’ve been a Christmas hater, and have been happy to be one.

Until now.

Two weeks ago today, I had the pleasure of covering a Christmas party for children with special needs that is hosted each year by the UAW Local 753.

Children from all over Lee and Russell Counties come with their teachers and helpers and get to see cheerleading groups perform, enjoy healthy snacks, color with crayons and markers and get visits from notable figures like McGruff the Crime Dog, Sparky the Fire Dog, the Chik-fil-A cows and even Aubie.

Each child also gets to sit with Santa and Mrs. Claus and walks away with a toy of some sort, a ball or a bear.

The smiles I saw on all of those faces across the room, the joy in their hearts to get to have an awesome party with all of their friends (and Santa to boot) – this was happy in its purest, unfiltered form.

It was the kind of happy that can melt even my icy heart.

I have no problem admitting to all of you I had to excuse myself from the party briefly because I was overcome by what I saw.

There aren’t many things that can move me to tears, but seeing those kids’ faces, watching them dance around and enjoy life to its fullest – well, it gives you pause.

Friend and confidant Nancy Willingham, owner of Grown Folks Blues and More, was a volunteer for the event and she puts it best:

“Seeing how happy those kids are really puts things in perspective for us. Our complaints, our problems, compared to theirs, are nothing, and they’re still smiling.”

 Amen, Ms. Nancy.

We get so bogged down in the day-to-day, we don’t see the joy and happiness to be found all around us, especially in this Christmas season.

Christmas is a great many things, but, to me, it’s about the joy we give to one another, and through giving joy, we help create our own.

And in discovering that definition of the holiday, I find myself more inclined to want to celebrate.

Define Christmas however you want to, dear readers.

Find the definition that gives it the fullest meaning for you and yours.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, have a blessed Kwanzaa, a divine Diwali and a tip top Tet.

Be well, friends.