Christmas in November

The past week I've seen quite a few friends getting their decorations up for Christmas, and a few others asking for people to not do this until after Remembrance Day. Seems a lot of people are early this year (and not just the local Starbucks). Here's my theory.


We are in a void. This is a dark age we're living in. Everywhere we turn, there is death, destruction, gunning down children in schools, terrorists taking out anyone who isn't part of their religion (in the name of God??), governments using poison gas on civilians and women being raped on frigging busses. I mean the whole Northern Hemisphere could cease to exist if Fukushima issues are as bad as we are reading. Yes, we're in a time when a bunch of bad shit is going down and thanks to Social Media, we find out in almost real time (except for scary crap in North Korea, as they will hide it for a month or so). Social media has also brought out a whole new demon called cyber-bullying that has resulted in a rash of suicides amoung our youth.


Yup, it's pretty tough for the average bear to keep positive. And so comes November, with the promise of Christmas a few weeks away. And what is Christmas, really? It's a feeling. It's peace, it's hope, it's love. It's family and friends. It's watching the wonder and innocence in children's eyes. It's childhood memories, it's my mom's smile when she saw us see what Santa left us under the tree. It's happy. It's carefree (if you let it and don't get caught up in the rush and pressure of commercialism). This is the feeling that is missing through the year and harder and harder to hold on to when we are surrounded by the void.


I don't think letting that Christmas feeling start early this year is such a bad thing, or a slight to the Veterans. It's just a way, a physical manifestation, to help our heads and hearts focus on the bright side of life.


I hope this year, every Christmas light you see, from now until Ukrainian Christmas - in the stores, on the many houses with lights up already, in your home, on your desk, in your children's eyes - puts a little hope in your heart. There's still hope.