BARSTOW, Calif. - For the vast majority of us, the holiday season begins with Halloween. I mean, really…the reality of stores stocking their shelves with mass amounts of edibles, not to mention decorations for your home and body can be overwhelming. Oh, and let’s not forget, this is not just restricted to one aisle in the vast department stores, the frills and trimmings usually take up two if not three aisles at a time. The candy is not yet sorted before cards and gift boxes are out, displaying Autumn colored leaves and gourds, pilgrims and Native Americans or Santa Claus and his reindeer.
As Christmas quickly approaches, I’ve found myself thinking more and more about this holiday and this season. For some, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. For others, it’s a time to reflect. And for still more, the season brings with it the importance of spending time with family and friends. I’ve also noticed in the past 10 years or so, the importance the act of shopping has become to the masses. While I won’t pretend to not understand the ‘magic’ affect shopping has on some people, I don’t think the act of doing so, deserves its own holiday. This seems kind of backward to me.
This shopping event, known as Black Friday, a day or two, or three nowadays, is one where retailers deeply discount popular items and consumers look to grab the greatest deals, in hopes of finding that ‘perfect’ gift.
In 2008, a Wal-Mart worker named Jdimytai Damour was trampled to death by a mob of holiday shoppers who broke down the doors of a store in Valley Stream, N.Y. In 2011, a woman in Los Angeles used pepper spray on a group of shoppers vying for video game consoles…all in this mass psychosis called Black Friday. Perhaps a more suitable name would be ‘Black and Blue Friday.’
The sheer chaos and madness that a lot of us experience during the holiday season is duly noted. The stampeding, angry, often clashing customers…is this really what the spirit of Christmas is all about? This time of year brings with it stressors, most of which, I’m going to guess, we bring on ourselves by wanting to please other people – with gifts, entertaining, etc…
So, I’m going to throw out this challenge: let’s reconfigure our ideas of what truly matters in this life and what, ultimately, does not.
There are approximately 17,400 Marines currently deployed around the world who won’t be home this holiday season. They don’t have the luxury of spending time with family and friends, nor do they have the opportunity to shop for their loved ones, curl up next to a fire, or sleep in during their ‘96’. They don’t enjoy the safety we do, at least not now…because they, are the ones providing that safety---and they are the ones this holiday season in harm’s way.
Instead of fighting for the best deals on the new iPhone or tablet this season, let’s remember those men and women fighting in a far-off land for a greater cause. Let us not forget our brothers and sisters in uniform---regardless of the color or pattern---they all start with the letters U.S.
| Date Taken: |
12.12.2012 |
| Date Posted: |
12.12.2012 12:37 |
| Story ID: |
99150 |
| Location: |
BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: |
APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: |
BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: |
VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: |
81 |
| Downloads: |
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This work, Where did the true meaning of Christmas go?, by Reina Vasquez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
