Rants and Rambles

A Lesson For Whomever Takes The Time To Listen

Hi! Merry Almost Christmas Eve, guys! How are you? I'm doing fine, thanks for wondering!

Anyway, this rant has to do with Christmas. I put it out now, because I really feel like this is important to hear before the actual holiday.

I have had a couple of Christmas parties before today, and I have noticed some similarities.

First of all, fudge is amazing. Except when my mother makes it...

Second of all, Christmas always tends to make people feel a little happier than their usual self. (With the exception of Scrooge. But he got nice in the end though, so...)

Third of all, presents seem to be the focus.

This is the part that I am mostly talking about. I I personally love to give gifts to people, honestly just to see their reaction. Whether they are happy, touched, or just flat out rolling on the floor with laughter, I think that it really means something when someone opens up a gift and see that the person to give the gift payed attention to the person who opened the gift. If that makes sense.

But the thing is, I feel like we tend to get hung up on the fact that we are receiving things. I mean, it is nice and all to get something that you want, but I really think that it is the memories that you make that really mean something.

About a week ago, I had a Christmas party with my dance team. We have one very year, and it is always super fun. We do a Secret Santa, and after we open up our gifts we tell each other our Christmas plans.

We always talk about getting together with family. But the thing that really bugged me, was the fact that almost everyone said that one of their plans was opening presents.

A made up example:

'Well, I am going up North to see my grandparents, and then we open up all of my presents. We then have this huge Christmas feast, which is sooooooo yummy. Then we spend the night there, and when we wake up we open up the presents that Santa brought us.'

I don't know why, but the sheer fact that they specifically said that they would open up their presents really bugged me.

I mean, I know that they were not trying to sound selfish or anything, but it still sounded wrong.

I guess that I just feel that the focus should not be on the presents, but rather the memories that you make from wrapping the presents, or a reunion with your relatives, or even petting the family dog and attempting to make Christmas fudge. I think that these just mean a little bit more to us than something that will wear out over time or lose its value as the years go on.

Personally, I think that it shouldn't even matter that it is Christmas. I think that it should be more important to us that we are around the people we love and cherish.

I think even the little things such as driving through a snowstorm to get to your parents house in time, or making special cookies for your Lactose Intolerant uncle, are the things that really stay in our minds. They are the memories that hold a sentimental value; the memories that we hold in our hearts until the end of time.

And I realize that this entire thing sounds entirely cliched and cheesy, but I really feel like it means something.

I think we should stop worrying about who got whom what, and what sort of presents that you got.

I think that should focus on what is important. Even if they are the smallest things imaginable.

Putting your arm around a friend.

Kissing your grandma on her cheek.

Putting a dollar in a Salvation Army bucket.

Smiling at a lunch lady.

Telling your parents 'I love you' before you go to sleep.

Asking a stranger to sit with you.

These little things are what really touch someone's heart.

And we all deserve to have a touched heart.

Happy holidays, guys