Black Friday has come and gone. The Thanksgiving leftovers are either frozen or thrown out. The Christmas decorations have gone up and the wish lists are out. Yes, fellow Americans, it’s the wonderful time of year. The Christmas season brings out the best in everyone and it’s here.
For the past 11 months people have been bogged down by negative events. From police shootings to high murder rates, the American public has been dragged through the emotional wringer. Well for the next few weeks, Americans can take a mini-vacation from the negativity and enjoy the Christmas season.
It may seem corny but Christmas does bring out the best in people. Over the next few weeks people will go out of their way for others. Many people who don’t look at homeless will volunteer to feed them on Christmas day. People who cringe when strangers walk by will open doors and say hello to those same people. It’s the magic of the wonderful time of year.
Christmas season helps keep behavior in line during school. Many students who are prone to cut up in class tone it down over the next few weeks. The reason being, a phone call home could mean that new phone or game won’t be under the tree. Nonchalant spouses will be out shopping for that usually ignored wife or husband. Disobedient children will buy gifts for their exasperated parents. This is the power of the Christmas season.
There are those who say Christmas is a farce. There are plenty who argue about the true meaning of the season. I was one for years who laughed and thought the whole event childish. But even the greatest naysayer has to look at the results from Christmas. For these next few weeks people will be more jubilant and pleasant towards each other. With that in mind, aren’t the results of Christmas on society all that matters?
The skeptics will say, “Crime still takes place during Christmas time.” This is true but crime is like breathing in the USA, a necessity. There will be criminal acts that take place during the next few weeks. People will have their houses broken into and their gifts stolen. But because of the spirit of the year the crime will not bog down the populace. Watch how people respond if a family suffers a break in and their gifts are stolen. The reaction from the public will speak volumes to the magic of the season.
Television will become tolerable to watch. Many shows will have a Christmas theme. You will get to see the classics that have been shown for decades. Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman will march across 80-inch screens the same way they did across 12 inch ones in the past. Jimmy Stewart will be young again and telling the world how wonderful life is. Macaulay Culkin will be home alone and looking young and innocent. Television will be rated G for a time.
The Christmas season is truly a magical time of year. It only lasts a few weeks but those few weeks make the rest of the year tolerable. Who knows, even a true Grinch like myself may put up a small tree.
Frank James IV © 2015
beingfrankwithfrank@gmail.com
The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the writer and not of the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper or NCON Communication, its staff or management. Being Frank is a bi-weekly column exclusive to the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper.
