Merry Christmas, Damnit. Part One

I guess now that it's November 27 and both Thanksgiving & Black Friday are over, I can officially write about Christmas without receiving too many death threats. 


Usually when I tell people that Christmas is my favorite holiday, I receive the same cynical rolled eyes from pretty much everyone. I don't blame them. It is a pretty cliché thing to say. I mean, who doesn't like Christmas? There are presents, food, family, religious services, presents... And all those things are pretty awesome. But I'm right there with the cynical people who say that Christmas has become too commercialized; that we, as a society, have lost the true meaning of Christmas. What I find odd about that statement is that it is never really explained what the "true meaning of Christmas" really is. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a very religious person anymore. I'm not even really a "spiritual" person per se. The coming of Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ has awoken a major dissonance in my religious/spiritual/whatever life. If I claim to be a deist (deist: belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator whodoes not intervene in the universe. The term is used chiefly of anintellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind), then obviously I wouldn't believe that God sent his Son to die to redeem all mankind from their sins. This is a matter that I'll probably attend to later in another post. But I have found special significance and meaning in Christmas that causes it to be my favorite holiday that has hardly anything to do with presents or religious meaning. 


I have a playlist on my ipod that is titled "Merry Christmas, Damnit." The title comes from an old joke between some old roommates from two or three years ago. My one roommate, who was stressed out of her mind with finals and some recent family troubles, came into the kitchen where another roommate and I were talking. The girl plopped two wrapped presents in front of us and said, "Merry Christmas, damnit." The roommate sitting by me looked at the presents then at me and we both burst out laughing. It was just too funny to us. It was merely moments before the gift-bearing roommate joined in. It still is one of my favorite memories from that first apartment I had in Manzenita on SUU campus. There is a song on the mix that is by Reliant K called, "Merry Christmas, Here's to Many More." It's become my favorite Christmas song over the last few years because of the lyrics. 

Made it through the year and I did not even collapse 

I've got to say, "Thank God" for that

I'm torn between what keeps me whole 

and what tears me in half 

I'll fall apart or stay intact

I'm tired as I stumble back to bed

I need to realize my sorry life's not hanging by a thread

At least not yet

So look at me now

It's finally Christmas and I'm home

Head indoors to get out of this weather

And I don't know how but the closest friends I've ever known

Are all inside singing together

Singing, "Merry Christmas, here's to many more.  

The reason I love that song so much is the first reflection on the past year. It has been hard and it seems like a miracle that he has been able to get through it. Then he even states, "I need to realize my sorry life's not hanging by a thread. At least not yet." He recognizes that his life isn't as bad as he thinks it is. I've thought about these words many times and have thought about my own life. There have been some exceedingly rough periods in my life, especially in the last eight or nine months. But when I really think about it, things could be a lot worse. I'm doing okay. But what makes me really love this song is the next part, "And I don't know how but the closest friends I've ever known are all inside singing together, singing "Merry Christmas, here's to many more." I imagine him coming home (to what ever place he calls his home, another comforting thought) and finding his close friends gathered around a piano, singing Christmas songs. When they see him, they all greet him with loud calls of love. Someone helps him take off his coat while another brings him a cup of hot tea. He joins them in their singing of hope for more Christmases. It's a beautiful image, even more so when you consider the significance of it. They are all wishing for more Christmases, which means they are wishing for more years. The man was reflecting on the past year and how hard it has been for him. But then, when he's home with his friends, he knows he can make it through another year. I would even argue that his friends have become a family to him. I was talking to a friend of mine last night and the subject of family was brought up. I told him that sometimes family isn't about blood. It's about who you care about and who cares back. I really do believe that. I always get an amazing feeling of love and comfort when I hear that song. It reminds me of who is important in my life and why I was able to get through all of the hardships I have encountered over the past year and years. It's because of my family, friends, and the friends I consider to be family. Christmas, to me, is a time to spend with those people you love and who love you in return, to recognize who is really important in my life. 


And I was really planning on doing this in a completely separate post, but it seems more appropriate here. The following is a list of people who have made my life better over the last eight months & fifteen days (in no particular order). Thank you for everything. I don't know what I would've done without you guys. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. 

Sean Kendall

Jonathan Timothy

Mike Timothy

Justin Pitts

Martin Isaksen

Freddy Desposorio

Maria Nuila

Rachel Carter

Juan Nuila

Mary Buynak

John Hancock

Josh Keele

Greg Vandagriff

Jacob Horlacher

Jacob Ludlow

Ashley McNew

Amber McNew

Paige McGuire

Mindy Haward

Paul Johnson

Andy Sherwin

Augustus Johnson

Leila Warring

Kelly Rodkey

Blake London

Joe Willis

Ammon Eddy

Kristy Denlein

Bri LeBreton

Reed Parkinson

Katie Parkinson

Seth Lawrence

Lorien Lawrence

Mace Sorensen

Chris Clark

Chelsea Sorensen

Drew Young

Lehif Martin

Dr. Mark Crane

Dr. Alan Hansen

Ben Lewis

Davey Morrison-Dillard

Devan McLain

David Ashworth

Jim Ailey

Miles Spencer

Matt Kearney

Lisa Garlock

Seren White

Steve Pew

Dave Newlin

Kelly Reeves

Love you.
Mean it. 


p.s. I had originally intended this post to be much longer and cover several more reasons why I love Christmas, but I had no idea I would spend so much time on this one topic. So I've decided to break it up and cover all the reasons over a series of posts. Stay tuned.