NOTHING IS OVER LIKE CHRISTMAS Jack Blanchard's Column

Thousands of readers around the world

NOTHING IS OVER LIKE CHRISTMAS

Nothing is over like Christmas.
Months of anticipation, and then it's gone.
Try to hold on to it and it slides away like this morning's dream.

People who tell us that it's a pagan holiday,
just because it's near the winter solstice,
may not realize what an intrusion that is upon our enjoyment.
We can each bring our own thoughts to the season,
and make it our personal non-pagan celebration.
It's in the spirit of the beholder.

It's hard to work up the spirit here in Florida,
but we give it a shot every year.
Misty decorates a tree,
and puts Christmas stuff all over the place.
We listen to Christmas music with the air conditioning on
and with palm trees lurking in the yard.

Television doesn't help, with reports of all night sales,
talking heads urging us to be good consumers,
stranded travelers sleeping in airports,
and carolers singing "Happy Honda Days".

I toss up futile prayers for snow here in the subtropics,
but this is the time of year
when we just get a cheap imitation of early autumn.
A couple of trees around here get a touch of red,
and I go look at them.

I get sentimental about Christmas,
probably because I had real Christmasy holidays years ago,
with folks who are no longer with us,
and my childish subconscious thinks it will happen again.

I think next year I'll write a letter to Santa,
and ask him for one more snowfall in Buffalo,
where the night is silent, the homes are warm,
and Christmas is strong in the air.

Jack Blanchard

Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan.
Grammy Nominees. Billboard Duet of the Year.
Home page: http://jackandmisty.net.
Facebook: http://facebook.com/jackandmisty.
Email: jackandmisty@gmail.com.
VIDEOS: http://youtube.com/jackandmisty