Give Thanks...For Christmas

 My youngest played Santa last night as the family gathered in front of an electronic fire blazing on the TV. We had no where to go, we had warmth and shelter and more food than a couple of families could possibly eat in one sitting. We are, in a word...

Blessed.

We sat in a circle as my son searched though the wrapped boxes and bags. Once identified, my son delivered the presents to their new owners--a transfer from giver to given. 

It's easy to get complacent when life is good. You see the world through a blessed perspective, where the worst things that happen are called "First-World Problems." Sometimes, we forget about others and what they're going through. Last year at Christmas, my sister was recovering from some health issues. I don't think she or her husband or her children or her grandchildren knew it would be the last Christmas she would spend with them.

She passed away a few days later.

On social media yesterday and today, I noticed all the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" posts, but I also noticed a few others. People asked for us to be mindful of those who didn't have family surrounding then in a warm room by a fake fire with dozens of lovingly-wrapped gifts about to be delivered, others who were alone or hurting or lacking that "milk of human kindness" we hear so much about. There were people who recognized the need of others.

As I get older and I see that life is not just a right, but a privilege...the ultimate gift. We will all have a time when it will be our last Christmas. Does that change the way we look on the events of his day? I hope for me it. does. I am so grateful for my incredible family, for the home where we gathered, for the food we ate. I'm grateful for Christmas, a day that we shouldn't rely on helping us realize just how blessed we are, but we sometimes do.

I hope you and yours, wherever you find yourself either surrounded by friends and family or just with yourself and maybe a pet or two, I hope you had a wonderful and blessed day. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

"A Christmas Story Christmas"...Not As Polished As The Original, But Wonderful

 It was December, 1983. My friend, Danny Lewis and I went to catch a movie at the Trolley North theaters in Woods Cross. I don't remember with such clarity all the movies I saw in theaters back then (mostly, because all the movies we watched were only in theaters...), but I remember going to see A Christmas Story. Danny and I were in high school, our junior year. Every once in a while a film reaches you, connects on a different level. Though A Christmas Story didn't change my life...

It made an impression, so much so that almost forty years later, I still remember that night.

Since the days of video-on-demand, I think I've watched that film every year, and not just once, but multiple times.

This year, many of the original actors have reprised their rolls in a sequel to the classic hit. A Christmas Story Christmas is available to watch on HBO Max. We watched it the other night. The verdict--

It was a solid sequel, worth of the original.

Of course, some of the charm found in the original is lacking. I don't know if it's because I'm almost forty years older, but when I watched the original, I could swear they set up camera in the 1940s. Everything about that film put you in the decade. The new film, though authentic, for me lacked that feel. It was wonderful to see the original child actors return as Ralphie, Flick, Schwartz, and Randy. 

This film also has Ralphie narrate the story, only in this film, Peter Billingsley voiced the words, as opposed to the story's author, Jean Shepard, in the original (who also is the man in the department store who asked Ralphie and his brother where they think they're going...). Grown-up Ralphie must move heaven and earth to make Christmas special for his family, just like his father did decades earlier.

If you like the original, my guess is you'll like this one. You definitely need to watch it. I sat and enjoyed the whole thing, but when the last scene played out, I found myself transported back in time to a now extinct movie theater with my friend with whom I haven't seen in years and sat in awe at the creativity of the show, the powerful use of the expertly-written spoken word, and a cinematic experience that put in on the street, in the school, and waking up Christmas morning full of wonder.

Maybe the show really did end up changing my life after all.