Christmas is coming

Yesterday we decorated our Christmas tree. It is a bit smaller than in other years, but it has a nice shape. It is a Balsam Fir, grown in Canada. I bought it at the Superstore in Winnipeg for $24.95 plus tax. Not a bad price, considering last year I paid twice that. Sure, the tree was taller, but who cares. Actually, my wife does. She complained about this one being so short. We have a high ceiling in the living room and a tall tree makes a better impression.
Here is a picture of what the tree looks like after we decorated it:

Most of the ornaments are old. I'm talking 1060s. We did replace a few, because over the years some broke and some lost their glitter and color, but the new ones are not as nice as the old ones. Different material, also. When all the ornaments are hanging we still put some tinsel over it. The tinsel is also old. You can't buy it like that anymore. We are old-fashioned people and still believe in old values and ways. We don't care much for the way some trees are decorated these days, with all kinds of home-made stuff made from cloth and whatever else. But that's just us. Whatever works and pleases people. New generations, new ideas and ways, not all of them better than the old ones.

We celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December, Christmas Eve, like they do in Europe, mainly in Germany. That's still our tradition. Our children and grandchildren come and we have a nice supper, usually ham with red cabbage, and all the trimmings. After supper we open presents. (I hope I'll get some this year. Maybe I was too naughty (^_^).)

We don't go shopping on Boxing Day. Who needs to get caught in that mass of other shoppers? There are plenty of deals to be had long before Christmas and even after. We like to spend Boxing Day still with Family. It seems Christmas for most people is nothing but getting presents and buying stuff. Christmas has become too commercial. People have forgotten why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. When I was a kid, we used to go to Church in the afternoon, my dad, my two brothers, and I, while my mom decorated the tree and cooked Christmas dinner. The tree wasn't big, just tall enough to fit on top of a table. We didn't have many ornament, either. After supper, we opened presents. Then my mom read the Christmas story from the bible, she played her guitar and we sang Christmas songs and had a good time. We didn't have much, but we were probably happier and more relaxed than people are these days. Our presents were small, nothing compared to what adults and children get now. I remember one Christmas I got a mechanical bird you had wind up to make it walk. I loved it. It was all I needed and I was grateful. But Christmas is not about presents. Has never been.

There are forces out there who want to eliminate Christmas altogether. It's not politically correct anymore. They don't  say 'Merry Christmas', they say 'Have a nice holiday'. Too bad. We must not let that happen. I am not politically correct.I will not be influenced by the minorities who want to force their customs on our old traditions.

Merry Christmas.