Christmas Stories

I have always loved Christmas stories.  I am an avid mystery reader, so I really enjoy Christmas mysteries.  I have a lot of Christmas books and read several each year and try to acquire one or two new books each year.  There is nothing I like better than a good old Christmas murder.  I am so bloodthirsty for a peaceful person.  I believe I love mysteries, in part, because justice almost always prevails at the end.  It doesn’t quite work out that way in real life.

I also love to watch Christmas/holiday movies.  It appears that there are many who are like me because the Hallmark channel has Christmas movies on every night in December.  Some of the movies are really good and some stretch the imagination and the writing isn’t great, but I still love them.  I cry during most of them, no matter how implausible the story.  Let’s face it; there are only so many variations on the classic themes.  There are numerous stories based on “A Christmas Carol”.  I love the stories that are take-offs of “Ground Hog Day”.  In those stories you have the unfortunate individual who has to repeat Christmas Eve until they get it right.  How about the Santa stories?  He has daughters, sons, corporations, wicked elves, or others who have to or want to take over his “business”.   Some of the best stories have dogs in them. Many of the stories have a love story.

What most of the stories have in common is the element of change and redemption.  There is the belief that the holiday season works magic and people change for the better.  I do believe it is possible and many folks at least are more generous to those less fortunate during the holidays.  Many non-profit organizations receive most of there contributions during the holiday season.  The food banks, shelters, and holiday gift programs are featured in our newspapers and on radio and TV to encourage us to give.  In the YS Newspaper, they featured a gift tree at the YS Library on the front page.  Families in need write down what they would like and the library staff hang papers on the tree with items that are appropriate.  Alan and I give a lot of money to non-profits during the year.  But, when I saw the article, I had to go to the library and take a card for a child.  It just feels so good to do something for someone who might not receive a gift if not for you.  I selected a child who wants the crayola crayon machine.  I’ve seen it advertised on TV, during the Christmas shows, and thought that Alan would have wanted one if he were a kid.  How exciting to get to purchase it for a child.  Alan did confirm he would have liked it.

While I am watching the tearjerker Christmas shows, I am knitting a stocking for my grandson and am surrounded by my dogs and cats.  It really is a cozy time.  And, if I am lucky, Alan bakes cookies, which I get to sample.