Broken Hallelujah

Boycott Christmas? I'm for many boycotting ideas, but I'm going to pass on the boycott Christmas one. I abhor the pillaging atmosphere in the stores and some other aspects of this joyous season, but boycott Christmas? Count me out.



How obscene is that Greedfest that tv's Oprah Winfrey has on each Christmas? Where they all squeal like stuck pigs when they see shiny stuff coming their way? That whole scene really chaps my ass. I try to understand and appreciate what the holiday season is really about, but I see Christmas through new eyes since my sister, Robin's close call last year.



She was admitted to the hospital on December 23, 2003, and in ICU for 9 days, discharged to a step-down unit for a few weeks, and later to a rehab facility for a few more months. She's my only sibling and is two years older ok, younger than me. For the first 5 days, we didn't know if she'd live or not.



During her hospital stay I remember seeing our family Christmas trees decorated beautifully, with presents still unwrapped under the tree after Christmas. You recall the guerilla gift giving, heirloom ornaments, frenzied wrapping, fighting for parking spaces, fretting about back orders and shipping delays and you gotta question why it all seemed so damned important a few short weeks ago. What good is trying to have a great Christmas if you've no one there to share it with?



I DO enjoy the holidays and the gift giving, the family gatherings, the smiling faces, the decorating and baking and all the cooters (Southern for accoutrements) of Christmas. But my heart is in a new place as I maintain a new holiday perspective. More than she can ever know, this year Robin is Christmas to me.