What does christmas mean to you?
I was at work yesterday and everyone there, well mostly everyone wished me a merry christmas, and then mostly everyone asked me if I celebrated Christmas...My answer to most of them was, "yes, I celebrate every festival". And then I pondered, what does a Christmas mean to me...
Firstly, I realised it meant a holiday, a day off work. Stepping aside from my daily routine to do something which you do on your day off, and a bit more. We all have off days, and on our off days we have a routine as well. On a regular day off work you wake up late, clean your car, clean your shed, go for a ride maybe, cook something nice, and how can I forget, do your damned laundry and then watch a movie... So how is this Christmas day off special. This day you wake up early, dont clean your car, dont even bother about our laundry. Yes, I still ride around a bit, but all the houses in the block were either full or completely empty. It seemed there was life and laughter everywhere. The whole place seemed to be in a festive mood. There were kids running around the streets, playing cricket, soccer and what not, a sight which you hardly see in our street.
The next thing to do was to have a big breakfast,Christmas breakfast. Something which I wouldnt normally have on a regular day off. And then packed the van, put the dogs in and off we went for a picnic lunch to the lake shores. And on returning home, fired up the Barbeque and had friends overfor a barbequed dinner in the backyard. Not a regular day off work at all...
Secondly, the extra effort taken to stay on path with the 'Christmas Spirit'. By that I mean, simple things like smiling at everyone and wishing them. Even my normally grumpy neighbour asked me about the dogs he is generally complaining about. Then calling friends and colleagues, who I haven't spoken to in ages, and finding out how they are doing and stuff. And of course not to forget the meals, on Christmas day you EAT...you don't just eat you gorge. Turkeys, chicken, fish you name it. And it starts from early morning.
And lastly, you feel happy and merry. And its not just because of the spirit (the alcoholic kind). In general you feel like smiling and being nice to everyone. Small example would be donating your prized soccer ball to the neighbours grand nephew, who is visiting from the States. And of course whom I am never going to meet again. Well, I have done it so there is no point thinking about it.
My question is why do we feel like that on one special day or special period? Does festivals bring people together? Then why is said that religion divides? For people back home its the same during Durga puja and Diwali and Eid, can anyone disagree? Why can we not feel like this everyday? Like everyday is a festival.
My observation is that great tragedies and grand occasions bring people together...And if its a common, average everyday, then we are still trying to find a way to get our soccer ball back which we gave away generously to a five year old just yesterday...Because yesterday was Christmas...
So to answer the original question...what does Christmas mean to me...Chirstmas means how I would like to feel everyday of my life...Merry...
Please share your thoughts and come up with a solution to make a festival out of our everyday average life...lets make this age a festival...have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...
Yours truly....
I was at work yesterday and everyone there, well mostly everyone wished me a merry christmas, and then mostly everyone asked me if I celebrated Christmas...My answer to most of them was, "yes, I celebrate every festival". And then I pondered, what does a Christmas mean to me...
Firstly, I realised it meant a holiday, a day off work. Stepping aside from my daily routine to do something which you do on your day off, and a bit more. We all have off days, and on our off days we have a routine as well. On a regular day off work you wake up late, clean your car, clean your shed, go for a ride maybe, cook something nice, and how can I forget, do your damned laundry and then watch a movie... So how is this Christmas day off special. This day you wake up early, dont clean your car, dont even bother about our laundry. Yes, I still ride around a bit, but all the houses in the block were either full or completely empty. It seemed there was life and laughter everywhere. The whole place seemed to be in a festive mood. There were kids running around the streets, playing cricket, soccer and what not, a sight which you hardly see in our street.
The next thing to do was to have a big breakfast,Christmas breakfast. Something which I wouldnt normally have on a regular day off. And then packed the van, put the dogs in and off we went for a picnic lunch to the lake shores. And on returning home, fired up the Barbeque and had friends overfor a barbequed dinner in the backyard. Not a regular day off work at all...
Secondly, the extra effort taken to stay on path with the 'Christmas Spirit'. By that I mean, simple things like smiling at everyone and wishing them. Even my normally grumpy neighbour asked me about the dogs he is generally complaining about. Then calling friends and colleagues, who I haven't spoken to in ages, and finding out how they are doing and stuff. And of course not to forget the meals, on Christmas day you EAT...you don't just eat you gorge. Turkeys, chicken, fish you name it. And it starts from early morning.
And lastly, you feel happy and merry. And its not just because of the spirit (the alcoholic kind). In general you feel like smiling and being nice to everyone. Small example would be donating your prized soccer ball to the neighbours grand nephew, who is visiting from the States. And of course whom I am never going to meet again. Well, I have done it so there is no point thinking about it.
My question is why do we feel like that on one special day or special period? Does festivals bring people together? Then why is said that religion divides? For people back home its the same during Durga puja and Diwali and Eid, can anyone disagree? Why can we not feel like this everyday? Like everyday is a festival.
My observation is that great tragedies and grand occasions bring people together...And if its a common, average everyday, then we are still trying to find a way to get our soccer ball back which we gave away generously to a five year old just yesterday...Because yesterday was Christmas...
So to answer the original question...what does Christmas mean to me...Chirstmas means how I would like to feel everyday of my life...Merry...
Please share your thoughts and come up with a solution to make a festival out of our everyday average life...lets make this age a festival...have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...
Yours truly....
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