The Evolution of Christmas

My internet Christmas card to you all :)

Today is Christmas day and as I sit here at work, I am reflecting on how Christmas has immensely evolved for me over the past years.

When I was a child, I loved Christmas!  What kid doesn’t?  On Christmas Eve, my sister and I would make sure we had fresh batteries in our flashlights and get up at least 3 times in the middle of the night to see how good we were in Santa’s eyes…quietly poking and shaking our presents trying to guess what was inside.  In the morning, we would gather around as a family and open our gifts, then head to my Grandparent’s farm for Christmas dinner.  There were more White Christmases than not in those days and the spirit of Christmas could be found everywhere…Children were content with getting a hula hoop, or a cartoon on VHS, a cassette tape, or a drawing set.  Those were the days!

 

Over time, I feel like the spirit of Christmas has become completely lost.  Maybe that just comes with age, but when a 12 year old asks Santa for an iPhone or iPad or new computer for him/herself, it makes me sad as it seems more superficial.  It’s a real treat now days when it snows on Christmas.  Extended families seem not to gather as much for Christmas dinner (maybe this is just my family?)  It seems now that my cousins are married with children they spend time with the other half of their family.  This year, no one in my immediate family is spending Christmas together – I’m in Thailand and alone, my sister has gone to California to spend the holidays with her friend, my brother-in-law is on a tour in Afghanistan, and my mom has gone to Arkansas with her beau. 

 

I can honestly say this is the strangest Christmas I’ve ever had (and I’ve had some strange Christmases).  First of all, I’m at work.  (I don’t mind working on Christmas…if you can’t already tell, I haven’t really been in the holiday spirit for a while now).  Second of all, it’s 81 degrees – obviously not a White Christmas.  Third, I’m surrounded by inner-city palm trees.  Fourth, I have no family or many friends so to speak of to celebrate with.  Fifth…no NFL games to watch after overstuffing myself on turkey and pie!!  Yesterday at my school, we celebrated Christmas activities…the children were dressed in red or green, a few of us foreign teachers were dressed as Santa, we had a Christmas production, even the English phrase board in the corridor said “Today is the Christmas day” (I wanted to correct that SO badly…first of all it’s not THE Christmas day, secondly it’s Christmas EVE!).  Today – the REAL Christmas day – was just another day at Wachirawit Primary School.  Yesterday actually felt a bit like Christmas and today nothing, which has made me pretty sad.

 

Chiang Mai Red Cross

Anyways, since I’m not celebrating this year, my landlord suggested we give blood.  I haven’t given blood in a while – because I keep getting tattoos – so I was all for it.  What better gift to give on Christmas than the Gift of Life!  This morning, I ditched out on school and headed over to the Red Cross, queued up and let the red stuff flow!  It’s a nice thought knowing I was able to do something out of the ordinary and hope my blood can help save a life.

 

Let the red stuff flow!

 

I hope one day the spirit of Christmas will creep its way back into my life.  It’s a lovely feeling, almost magical, but as for now it’s lost to me such as these things are.  I hope you and yours are enjoying a wonderful holiday season and all the Best Wishes for a Healthy and Happy 2013!

 

Happy Trails!

 

Soundtrack for this blog – Colorado Christmas by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.  This was always my favourite Christmas song as a child and now it fits my life to a T.