Christmas Magic

This is an article that is more personal than business and was written by me in 2005 but it is as appropriate today as it was then:

When is Christmas?

By Joyce Reid

When I opened the newspaper this morning, I was greeted by an ad that announced  “Christmas has arrived!

“Baloney!” I murmured to myself remembering the shower of golden leaves that had greeted me when delivering gift baskets on the NAU campus earlier in the week.  I glanced at the date, thinking I was in some kind of time warp.  Nope.  The paper was dated October 30th.

Halloween isn’t even over yet!  A basket of candy is sitting by the door waiting for trick-or-treaters tomorrow night. October still has one more day to go — and then there’s the whole month of November — followed by 24 days of December — before anyone can truthfully say, “Christmas has arrived!”

It seems to arrive earlier each year.  No longer do the ads, the displays, and the trimmings wait until the day after Thanksgiving to proclaim the magical season.  I can almost hear you now as you read this:  “Are you some kind of Scrooge!  Don’t you know that the stores depend on us?  Are you saying that we shouldn’t be buying Christmas presents?”

Not at all. I’m in the gifting business. I, too, understand that many retailers have to make their profits during the last quarter of the year if they are to survive. But the commercialism of Christmas frequently tarnishes the magic.

To read the rest of the article  go to Christmas Magic

4 thoughts on “Christmas Magic”

  1. Joyce, this reminder is so true. For us in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the time when the garden is bursting into life. The spring flowers are over, but the roses and perennials are coming to life, and I like to take a little time each day to check out the new arrivals in my garden. I find gardening a great way to relax and think through issues. Even managing a little a day can help keep life in focus.

    Christmas for us is hot summer weather, BBQs, beaches, and outdoor activities.

    I love to deliver our Christmas gifts and it’s such a privilege to be able to wish someone else’s Mum and Dad “Happy Christmas” on behalf of their family, some who are living on their own. We do need to get life into perspective. Thank you Marie and Joyce for reminding us of this.

  2. It may or may not be an age thing, Marie, but I think as we grow older, we realize what is really important. Right now, I’m going through some personal issues in my own life that once again make me realize the value of people close to us. Going back and re-reading this article that I wrote back in 2005 was beneficial to me and I hoped it would be to others as well.

  3. Dear Joyce:
    Thank you for the important reminder so wonderfully written. For the past 6 or 8 years, I’ve been so busy trying to run my own business I have not taken the time to pause and enjoy the time of year that I loved the most. I loved watching fall turn to winter and loved getting caught up in the Holiday Spirit. I loved Thanksgiving even more than Christmas (I was born on Thanksgiving Day so it was extra special for me).
    During those past few years I found that I was rushing through Thanksgiving dinner so I could get back to my work and by the time Christmas dinner was served, I was practically asleep at the table.

    This year I also started taking back some time. May be it is an age thing. I’m making the time in the middle of the day to take my dog (and husband) on long walks in the local parks. I’m writing the dates and times of some of my favorite crafts fairs into my calendar and am planning on buying all of my family’s gifts at those shows. My business is important to me and you’re right, our clients will never know because they will still get the best service and they will still witness the magic we make.
    Even though I have help, I still personally deliver as many gift baskets as I can because I get so much pleasure out of seeing that expression of joy on someone’s face.

    Thanks again for putting into words, what I have been feeling.

    Sincerely,
    Marie

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