It's Christmas, for Christ's sake

The town gathered at the common. A sense of community. Late afternoon chill in the air, but not really cold enough for hats and gloves, at least not yet. Santa was there having his picture taken with children who reluctsntly went up to this red suited stranger and told him their heart's desire. The Santa's line was not as long as the line for the free pony rides. Minature horses looking so proud because their lives finally had a purpose. Impatient senior citizens sat huddled on a bench clutching their Honeydew coffee. One saying to the other, "Hurry up and light the tree already." A lost four-year-old child crying in the arms of a stranger who did her best to comfort him. "I lost my auntie. I lost my auntie," he cried over and over. "We'll find her, don't worry," said the good samaritan picking up the child to comfort him. "What does your auntie look like?" "I don't know. Waaaaaaaaaa," cried the boy. And minutes later he was reuntied with his family when they walked by and saw him in the arms of a stranger. You can't really get lost on the town common. As darkness approached, the crowd gathered around the tree, like the Whoos from Whooville in the land of doctor Suess. They circled the tree and waited in anticipation of the lights to appear. And when they finally flicker in the darkness, the crowd sang and cheered. It was a scene that never gets old because there are always new sets of eyes full of awe and wonder taking in the sights of the season. Even in this recession, this time of war and uncertainty, the people in the crowd had hearts full of hope. A season of good cheer has begun, no matter how short lived. And once again people are smiling and letting the joy of the holidays fill the hollow place in their hearts. The holidays come too fast and last too short. Maybe we should have a tree lighting ceremony once a month on the common.
All of this makes up woman who was shopping in the Christmas decoration ailse of Wal-Mart last week. She turned to the two women who were with her and said, "I need to pick up the Christmas decorations for but they can't be religious, I need to get some things that are neutral, not too holiday-ish. I realized then just how far from the meaning of the season some people have strayed. Perhaps, wherevever that Wal-Mart customer was from, she should attend a tree lighting of her own. Maybe she would realize the lights on the tree are really symbols of the light that fills our hearts in this season of hope.