21st Century Christmas Trends

Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties

Flashing Santas
Griswolded Houses
Nationalized Health Care
A Congress Drunk on Power Thinking Its Santa
Potted "Living" Christmas Trees

I just want an old fashioned Christmas. One like 1968 would be nice. I don't remember what I got for Christmas or what I gave. I do remember listening to the New Cristy Minstrels singing, "Go Tell It On the Mountain" on a 33 and 1/3 rpm record album. I remember my Mom's Graham Cracker, Frosted, Coconut, Gooey, Whatchamacallit Cookies. I remember my little brother's excitement. I remember my family all being together; parents, grands, kids, all of us. I remember my Dad reading us the real Christmas story on Christmas morning. I remember carolers coming by and singing at the front door. I remember being warm inside when it was cold outside. I remember that we had "happy holidays" but we didn't say that. We said "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" And, we said it with lots of feeling; good feeling. We had a live manger scene on the town square, and nobody grumbled about it. Everyone loved it. By golly, we had CHRISTMAS! What we have now is a farce.

I don't think I'm getting old and cynical. Just cynical maybe. Who wouldn't be after you've seen the best Christmases like the kids of today will never experience. But I wish they could. I wish you could. I wish I could. I wish we all could experience Christmas like it was, just one more time. I bet that would shake up this country! Then this century might have some hope after all. I guess that's my true Christmas wish. From here beneath the Carolina moon, I wish you and yours, the best of Christmases!

Dread