Letter to the Editor

Christmas about family, not "things"

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

To the editor:

They start putting up Christmas decorations before Halloween. Why? So the merchants can get all the money they can from people. I guess they think that if they don't start early enough, they won't get all the money they need. There is not enough money in the world for some people.

To some people, Christmas means getting gifts, money, parties, clothes, food and drinking. However, to me, Christmas means family getting together, showing love for people and most important of all, that Jesus was born on that day.

To me, getting together with my family would be the best Christmas present that I could get. However, that will not happen because they live too far away for me to go and they don't have the money to come here.

I have not had a Christmas with my daughter in over 30 years. I have never had a Christmas with my grandchildren. I know that it will not happen. They understand and I have learned to live with it. I look at all the people out there that are stealing, killing and crying because they don't get what they want. They need to stop. Just think what is the best gift of all -- just being with family.

So, I tell you that the best gift at Christmas is just being with family. It doesn't matter if it is church, friends or your real family. Just being with someone is the best gift of all.

So the best gift that you can give someone is the gift of sharing your time, love and friendship.

There are a lot of people in this world that need the love of friends. Caring for someone that has nobody and giving food to someone that has none. Showing love for someone is one of the best ways. Feed someone that has no food. Giving clothes to someone that has no clothes. In other words, showing that you care.

I know that if I had one wish it would be just to have one Christmas with my daughter and grandchildren. But I look around and think that I am lucky. I have food, a roof over my head and I am allowed to go to church.

I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. Feel sorry for the people that put their Christmas spirit in things, not in what counts most.

If you are with your family at Christmas and can go to church, have food to eat and a place to sleep, then you have everything you need.

To sum it up, Christmas to me is the family, going to church and just being thankful for what you have and not for what you don't have or what you did not get.

I.D. Crawford
Blytheville