It's Christmas, Dear Readers...

I've never been the type to get worked up over Christmas. My mother has loved Christmas ever since she was a kid and my sister inherited both our portions of this trait. To this day, I ask every Christmas Eve to be left alone until everyone else is up to open presents. Each and every year, I've been awakened by a soft knock on my bedroom door and excited whispers. I love my baby sister.

But this year has been different. I usually get as much out of watching my mom, sister, and, after he came along, my little brother enjoy the festivities as I do from my own participation. But finals ran late this year and my roommate, who's become like a brother to me, had to move for reasons out of his control, leaving me far more time alone than should be permitted. With the TV on for background noise while studying or resting from studying, it's easy to get misanthropic when being bombarded by unrepentant commercialism and praying to GOD Almighty that the folks on Maury are really paid actors.

Driving through the city streets to class, work and home again, it's hard to imagine anyone being justified in waking up to a new car Christmas morning when there are homeless people selling newspapers on every street corner, trying to work their way out of their situation. I often wonder what the man behind the holiday would think of what it's become.

When you're single and beyond exhausted, these things become readily apparent. The idea of suffering through one more jewelry commercial is enough to stir up thoughts of violence. X-Mas often seems (to me anyway) a much more appropriate name for the season. But then I moved home.

On my mother's side of the family, it's a tradition that the extended family will draw names out of a hat at Thanksgiving and an act of charity will be performed in whoever's name one has drawn. On Christmas Day, we gather together for a large meal and take turns reading the good that was done in everyone's honor. Skeptical though I was at first (I was a child when the tradition started. The presents were everything.), it has become a moving and often tearful experience every year. For example, two or three people will often join together to adopt an area family for Christmas, making sure there is plenty of food on the table on Christmas and the children will have something to unwrap in the morning.

Due to an inclement forecast, our Christmas dinner was bumped up o Christmas Eve this year. After a delicious turkey dinner and an hour of people telling tales of good deeds scrawled inside Christmas cards, we all parted ways to beat the coming snow and possibly for a nap. The snow began falling like it meant it as my immediate family pulled into our driveway and it hasn't stopped yet.

As a white blanket coats everything I can see, I turn out all of the light inside save those on the Christmas tree. You can almost hear the snowflakes crunch when they hit the ground. My baby brother (Note: Unlike my 18 year-old sister, he's close enough, at 9 years old, to still be considered universally my "baby" brother.) has set out cookies for Santa and is so excited for Mr. Kringle's impending arrival that he's already been to bed twice but couldn't sleep. (Another note: My "baby" sister, the one who is notorious for waking the family as early as possible each year, is also having trouble sleeping.)

Dear Readers (for I hope there are at least two of you), this is what Christmas is about. X-Mas hasn't won out yet. Seeing a young man ponder over whether Santa would prefer chocolate chip or sugar cookies, and then baking both with his older sister, just to be on the safe side brings a happiness that doesn't come around any other time during the rest of the year. I don't know exactly what the "Christmas spirit" is (though I sincerely hope they don't mean ghosts like Dickens') but I've got to believe this is what they mean.

And so, Dear Readers, I want to take the opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope you can all enjoy this time with loved ones and that your every wish may be granted (if you've been good this year.) Thank you for your readership this year and I hope we can continue on this journey together far into the future! God Bless!

-Langford Milestone V