MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

Who knew that the true meaning of Christmas was gorgeous women strutting around in their underwear with flowing see through gauzy pieces of cloth draped over their shoulders? I was inundated with the image at nearly every commercial last night. I think it was ABC advertizing the coming Victoria Secret display of flesh that is meant to pass as a legitimate and worthwhile TV Christmas show. I should probably be pay per-view.

No doubt the viewing audience will be very high. We men like seeing nearly naked women in any setting. The promotion, which began in the family hour (is there still a family hour on TV anymore), had women in smaller pieces of cloth than the average bikini. I have no idea what holds those 3-4” wisps of cloth in place. They appear to defy gravity. Yes, strings are attached, but the chunks of cloth barely cover the (ahem) appropriate parts of the anatomy. I swear there has to be glue under there.

I was reading today that the movie studios have not and will not be opening with any Christmas films this year. There is no market and the field is already over crowded. So sit down and watch A Christmas Story one more time. It is now one of biggest Christmas film ever. You can’t beat a leg lamp for great Christmas entertainment! Yes, I loved the film. I even used one of my favorite lines on my grandson last year when he wanted a BB gun for Christmas. Of course I said, “You’ll shoot your eye out.” He was eight and he responded with that’s from A Christmas Story. Now with a Broadway bound musical based on A Christmas Story — it’s popularity will grow even more. It was exceptionally funny. Personally I love the film.

We used to be worried about the commercialization of Christmas. It stopped very few people from packing packages under the “holiday” tree. We have increasing worried about the push to Christmas sales earlier and earlier each year. With all due apologies to you who may be horrified that decorations and Christmas sales begin before Thanksgiving, but that is all artificial dates anyway. If you really want to avoid the crowds, you should shop in the summer while everyone else is at the beach. There are no Christmas sales, just summer clearance sales.

Black Friday, the traditional day for getting people out of bed in the middle of the night to go shopping, began right after Halloween this year. You see Christmas is really about spending money — and watching nearly naked women bounce down a runway. At least that’s what our culture says.

I shopped before Thanksgiving because I hate crowds, mall and big box stores. I will not watch Victoria Secrets exposure of the very few secrets they are hiding. I’ve got enough problems as it is. I know that even though I am alone I will turn on my CD copy of the Messiah – all of it, read the Biblical version of the Christmas Story, pray for my family, friends, the poor and others. I will make a very nice cup of coffee (I can’t have a sugar filled hot chocolate anymore), and eat a piece of pumpkin pie while I await the Hallelujah chorus and the joy and tingle I feel when hearing Handel’s magnificent anthem that makes me see God and be thankful for the birth of the Savior. I love this time of year.