It's over

So another holiday season has come and gone. What a wild ride this one has been. I have to say though, even with work being the most chaotic season I have been through yet, this Christmas was great. For the first time in several years I was able to have a blast shopping and finding little things that were perfect for the people I care about. Not all of those gifts have been sent yet but for me it isn't about the time of year. It is about the thought behind it.

My wife and I were both absolutely crazy this holiday. Her work had her tied down due to the project she is working on coming to a close this month and well, I work retail. That should say it all. Even with all that pressure we got our tree up (a real one, I love the smell) and lights up. We had the radio playing Christmas tunes most of the time and she even got in her baking. It just felt like that special time of year that I used to love so much. The last few years we have hardly had time to enjoy the season. This year we made time.

Neither of us are seriously religious and although I grew up Christian I wouldn't call myself one now. I would say I am a spiritual person but the more I have learned about other religions and schools of thought I have found it harder to believe any one set of ideas is totally right. That being said I still love this time of year. There are some thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that just ring true to me during this celebration. The feeling I get when I see a smile on my friends face when he opens the FLCL shirt I got him or the smile when my wife gets all her music playing on her new MP3 player, or the Amano book I got for another friend makes this season so wonderful. Knowing your friends and sharing what you love with them is great. Even while I was working, the chaos and greed I saw was split apart by that parent who was so happy to get the perfect gift or the child who said they would wait patiently when we didn't have a game in stock. It made my day. It over ruled so much of the negative side of the holiday greed we see at times. All that kindness and sharing and friendship is the true spirit of this holiday and this year I was able to share in it so much more than I have been able to for a while.

Retail has had it's toll on my holiday spirit. This year I fought back in one of the more trying years I have worked in it and I am glad I did. It showed me that the effort is well worth the rewards and that nothing is stronger than our own spirit. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and thanks for being a part of mine. Sharing it with you makes it all worth it.