Yuletide

December is a hectic month.

Thanks to the holidays.

What holidays? Celebrations?

Thanksgiving is just over. Creative and brilliant lights, tastefully decorated Christmas trees, huge discounted sales, rush to gift everyone on your list, parties that you are invited to.

Did I miss the carol singing, the nativity and the rejoicing?

Ho ho ho Santa.

Dress your fun or festive winter best, watch the nutcracker or some other play, eat, and eat as much as you can.

At my workplace, almost the entire month is casual-wear (which is holiday dress code, a Santa hat goes well with anything!), some one or the
Other is always sharing delightful food.

Hanukkah, Christmas, Kaazwan all following Thanksgiving evokes excitement all around. You cannot miss it.

Got to love it.

Either that or grumpy emotions by the whole fuss.

Hey! Why’s the fuss?

Grumpy - is it because they have no family to celebrate with? Or choose not to be thrust into a family? Wonder if it invokes sad memories

A BBC study says that less than half the children don’t associate Christ's birth with Christmas.
Wonder that percentage it is here? Why are we surprised?

I am all for harmonious living, we've got to appreciate and respect others. I understand the implications of rigidity and non-tolernace.

But.

But must we confuse one with another? Must faith be 'secularized' in order to be legal?

So, what are we celebrating? Black, red and green of Kwanzaa and white, red and green of Christmas?

Celebrating a birth that made a difference? Goodwill towards men? A festival of lights? community? Who cares?

Ho ho ho Santa.

We’ll party till we can.

An Evening in December

This years theme - a few toys' tale of their worth.

Simple yet a thought provoking powerful theme.

About a few 'has been' toys, that are dysfunctional and hopelessly unattractive in front of the current hot models.
So, they are in the discounted heap.
A pilot scared of heights, a ballerina who cannot dance a clown who cries...all feeling worthless and low.

Oh! Who will buy these toys? What chance do they have?

Except the action guy who's been the previous two years' top toy.
Discounted this year, yet the one toy who believes in his worth.
Perfect.
Just as the toy maker intended.

He persuades the rest, to reach out and look beyond their imperfections to the perfection they were intended, to their ability to bring joy to a child.

How one person can make a difference in the face of obvious odds.

I got this in a fortune cookie months ago in a Chinese restaurant, and still carry it around in my purse - Think highly of yourself, for the world will take you on your own estimate.

Sorta self appraisal.

That’s what it is worth.