If There Were No Christmas...What Would You Miss The Most?

For those of us who celebrate Christmas, I have a question for you. If next December Christmas no longer existed, what would you miss the most?

I thought about this as I practiced Christmas songs with several of my neighbors this morning. I know we're all different so I expect the answers to this hypothetical questions will varied as well. 

Family: I know that some out there would rather not gather with family during the holidays. That's why when they move out they relocate as far away as possible. I would miss my family terribly if there were no Christmas. Even so, this would not be my choice.

Food: Christmas food is delicious! There's no doubt about it. And I would miss the food, especially my wife's homemade egg nog. At my house, the family prepares each of our favorite treats. It definitely wouldn't be Christmas without the goodies.

Presents: As a child, if I were asked what I would miss most if there were no Christmas, I would have said presents. And I still look forward to exchanging gifts, more so the joy I get in giving (even though the getting is fun, too...). Honestly, I don't believe Christmas would exist if buying gifts didn't exist. It certainly wouldn't be anything like it is without it. Still, I could give up the presents if I had to.

Football: Now I know for some "Football" shouldn't be included in this list. But I also know people who couldn't care less about Christmas as long as there were college football bowl games.

Star Wars: This is a one-time only thing, so I'm not really considering it. However, some do look forward to seeing new movies on Christmas and then there are those Christmas movies (i.e. Hallmark Channel specials...). I could give those up, no problem.

You can take away all those things and I'd get by, but the one thing I would miss the most is music. I think it's the thing I enjoy most about the holiday. When I was in college, I sang in an elite choir. Oh, the feelings I experienced while singing those songs surrounded by such talented people--it was magical. Some people complain about Christmas music and for good reason--some of it is just dreadful, but the really good stuff is SO good! I'd have to say music would be the one thing I would most miss.

Of course, all these things are just that--things. They're just reminders of why we really celebrate the day. I wonder if we really took everything away, all the presents and the food, no more "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday, and we all ate sensibly and read a good book instead of sitting in a dark room with a bunch of strangers, it would still be Christmas. It would still be important, still matter.

I hope we never reach a point where Christmas no longer exists because I would miss that music. I would miss it bad.