Christmas of my childhood

THE EDITOR: The Christmas season is with us once more, and citizens will be preparing for the celebrations in various ways, office parties, exchanging gifts, painting, cleaning, buying items for the home and the list goes on and on. But have we taken time to think about why we celebrate, the reason for the season?

We can easily be caught up in the hustle and bustle of preparations, and yet at the end of it all, are we satisfied, are we contented? The Christmas season has become so commercialised that the joy and peace we should be experiencing usually takes fourth and fifth place in order of priority. As I reminisce about my childhood and Christmas — those days were cherished and full of joy — I remember my parents taking me to window shop downtown Frederick Street, which was such a pleasant and memorable experience, the stores were nicely decorated, and it was something we looked forward to every year. The Christmas of today has sent a great change in family values, our time is spent on material gains, rather than family ties. This time of year is generally a special one for one and all, but our behaviour has changed over the years; we have become materialistic in our thinking.

Christmas is for food, drink, merriment, pastelle, sorrel, ginger beer etc. Is that really Christmas? Do we have any time to celebrate the one whose birthday changed the entire world? His coming into the world in a humble and meek way, should enlighten us as to how we are to treat each other daily. Yes, material gains enhance our lives, but more important is our humanity to each other, not only at Christmas, but all year around. We have moved away from being human to becoming “inhuman,” “inhumane.” How sad! Enjoy the season, and be mindful of the reason, why you celebrate.

KEN SMITH
Woodbrook