 Editorial
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11-11-02
Scrooge arrives early this
year --
SOMEBODY SLAP ME. Is it November already? Christmas
decorations have been up in the stores for over a
month already. Somehow I find it a bit disconcerting
to see ghosts and goblins lined up alongside Santa
Claus and his eight tiny reindeer.
Speaking of being confused, I saw the latest thing
for little girls to aspire to. There is a series of
dolls called Bratz that is vying to replace the Barbie
doll. Is this what they are telling young girls they
should be like as they grow up? Spoiled overindulged
little strumpets? Having two granddaughters myself,
this kind of scares me. Just the look of those dolls
makes me shudder. Portraying a sense of self that is
now being emulated all over the country, they appear
to represent everything I find repulsive in young, LA
style Valley Girls.
At the risk of sounding like Ebenezer Scrooge, I have
to say that I despise the Christmas holiday season.
Don't get me wrong. I like Christmas. I just hate the
constant over-commercialized bombardment that is due
to begin replacing those mud slinging political ads
any day now. Buy this! Buy that! Eat this! Eat that!
Drink this! Drink that! Enough already! Could you imagine
being Jewish and having to put up with all that for
two or three months? I would have to barf everyday.
At least those of us of the Christian persuasion can
at least fool ourselves into thinking we have to suffer
through it for the sake of a religious holiday. Phooey!
I like the holidays that just come and go with nary
a word and just generate the usual Monday off and a
sale flyer or two in the newspaper. However, I do appreciate
the gathering of families and friends during the holidays.
Those are the memories that last long after the gift
sweater has become stretched out and the GI Joe has
lost his kung fu grip. I still have fond memories of
my Mother making 15 or 20 delicious Christmas cakes,
then having an open house for all the neighbors to come
and eat cake and have a cup of coffee. I always enjoyed
visiting with the Mothers of my friends during the holidays
too. Mothers always seemed to be a bit weary from the
holidays, but like the rest of us, they enjoyed them
while they were here and were relieved to see them go.
To our relief, the Christmas season will come and go,
and we will survive. Then, come next year, just like
lemmings jumping over a cliff, we will do it all over
again. For those of you whose Mother is still around,
please take time to enjoy her presence this year. For
when they are gone and your children are grown, the
holidays will somehow lose their luster and become just
a sales event.
By the way, give your Mom a hug for me and tell her
I said, "Thanks for being the shining star on the
tree!"
- JA
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