I made my first attempt at filling my Mom's apron as far as the yearly Christmas baking goes...
I got up this morning and made a pecan pie. It's not bad... it's not great... but its not bad. The crust needs some work, but I'll get there eventually. Next year it is going to be peanut brittle, sugar cookies and a better pecan pie.

I also stirred up a pretty good batch of dressing to go with the turkey tomorrow. So I don't feel like too big of a failure.  I am not a really Christmasie kind of guy.

I think I got burned out on the whole tree and lights deal back in the old days when the ritual started out with untangling the tree lights from the last year and trying to get them to work one more year. If that doesn't drive you to drink or divorce I don't know what will.... Kids now days, with these artificial trees with the built in lights don't know the stress they are missing.

When I got older and had a house of my own, I hated every moment of every year that we had a real tree. I have never understood killing a tree to celebrate the virgin birth. It always struck me as so very sad. What a strange bunch we humans are....

The religious part is not an issue. My problem is the fact that the celebration of the birth of the Savior has taken a back seat to greed, envy and idolatry. I am surprised every year by the commercialism of Christmas. I always think that it can't be as bad as it was the year before, but somehow with the help of Walmart and The Sharper Image the job gets done.

This year I actually got the feeling that I had not bought enough. Not that I hadn't chosen the proper gifts but that I hadn't bought enough. They're winning.

They have drilled it into our heads... "You need this, you need that." "You need to buy this for so and so." Now, that's all you hear from people.

I am so sick of hearing, "I need .....". You can fill in the blank. In the United States Of America 999 people out of 1000 don't "need" a dang thing. They might want a bunch of crap, but they don't need anything. What those 999 people need is a healthy dose of humility and humanity. Sell some of that crap and give the money to that one person in 1000 that actually needs something like.... oh... I don't know.... food maybe... or a roof over their head.

While you and I are sitting in our warm homes, kicked back in our easy chairs, watching our 50" High Def TV as it brings us the latest satellite programming, while we eat our delivered pizza and sip the finest bottled water money can buy, that other guy is trying to feed himself and find shelter for the night. He NEEDS something.

I just want the whole buy, buy, buy season to be over. Can't we just one time decide to help out the guy that really has needs. How about next year each of us take all the money we plan to spend buying our friends and family stuff they don't need and walk down to the Salvation Army and give the money to someone that can take care of people with needs.

Lets take Christmas and make it about the birth of Christ or whatever your particular religion has you celebrate. Quietly, calmly with no dead trees, no lights sucking up electricity that could heat someone's house. Lets sing carols, drink hot chocolate and spend some time together because some of the people we gather with this season will not be with us next year. We all NEED to remember that our friends and family are all that really matter.

Besides that it doesn't make sense to buy all that stuff before Christmas when the stores are going to put it on sale the day after Christmas. I think I'm going to leave now and stake out a good parking space in front of Sam's Club. I hear they are having a sale on 70" High Def TVs, and they're giving away pizza while you shop.