Christmas Time is Here.....

Well, it is that time of year again. Time to break out all of the decorations, untangle all of the lights, and plop a tree (in my case, a fake one) in your living room. It seems that every year that passes by, I have a harder time getting into the 'Christmas Spirit.' Why is that?

I think I know a couple of reasons why...

One would be the over-hype/commercialization of Christmas. Around Nov. 1st every year I drive my friends & co-workers nuts with my annual "It's NOT Christmas yet!!!" rant. 'What would that be?' you ask? Well, take a seat and I will subject you to it as well. You see, there is this other holiday called "Thanksgiving." Maybe you have heard of it? It falls on the fourth Thursday of every November? Sound familiar yet? I happen to like Thanksgiving...a lot. What other holiday can give you family, food (lots of it), and football? I like the ideology of Thanksgiving; after all, I have much to be thankful for. I also like all of the decorations that go along with it....the fall colors, pictures of cornucopias, pilgrims, & pumpkins....oohh!! yes....pumpkin pie....mmmmmmmm...(drool). Why would anyone want to skip over such a wonderful day? Yet, that's what it seems like. Christmas seems to come sooner every year.

For example, one year the Cloyd clan went to Disneyland on Nov. 1st and, much to my dismay, there were Christmas decorations everywhere! It made my blood boil. Heck , it was Halloween just 12 hours prior and now, on this 80 degree Southern California day, the Mouse is telling me it's Christmas???!!?? It doesn't seem right! Another was a few weeks ago, the second week of November to be precise. My buddy, Jody, and I took a break at work and went over to Starbucks. The whole place was decked out for X-MAS and 'White Christmas' was playing over the sound system. C'mon man! It's only Nov. 9th!! As I asked the guy working behind the counter if he thought it was ridiculous that they were serving up X-Mas cheer in the early weeks of Nov. Jody was quick to point out my hypocrisy as I took my first sip of a peppermint mocha...darn that Jody! And don't even get me started with the playing of Christmas music on some of the radio stations starting Nov. 1st, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! As great as Christmas is (and, don't get me wrong, really, it is!!!), people need to stop cheapening it and wait until after Thanksgiving to bring it out.

Anyway, there are two things I can count on to get the Scrooge out of me and get me into the holiday spirit and they are "A Charlie Brown Christmas" special on ABC and the soundtrack to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by The Vince Guaraldi Trio. There is nothing better at Christmas Time than to hear Charlie and Linus talking on the bridge, watching those kids dancing to Schroeder's jamming on the piano, and Linus reciting the birth of Christ from the Bible....it's magical. And now, I have the privilege of watching it with my kids. And, ah yes, the soundtrack......it brings me comfort listening to it. Especially the track 'Christmas Time is Here." Listening to that wonderful, melancholy melody can make the So. Cal. heat go away and then I can almost see the snow falling outside the window. That album should be a staple in everyone's holiday music collection. I think I'll put it on now....