we’ve opted out of christmas
well, not entirely of course
that’s probably not possible
in this time
in this culture
with the years of yuletide baggage
we carry along
and the insistent soundtrack
of all the well-worn christmas re-treads
clanging in our heads
what’s the reason for the season
in the good ole u.s.a.?
commerce!
yes
we send some gifts to family
cards
and i collect these verses
from the prior year
to share with friends both far and near
but we’ve given up on gifts for each other
because really
there’s nothing we need
and no place to put it
and i’ve come to appreciate
that the best gift friends can give me
is none
because than i don’t have to
navigate aisles
or websites
looking for one
for them
we used to host dinners
for a small crowd
but lately we’ve gone to an early movie
(always something we want to see
opens at the holidays)
then make a nice dinner for two
and that’s about all we do
which feels like plenty
decorations have gone from trees
which scraped the ceiling
to mini evergreens
a few feet tall
to virtually nothing at all
oh maybe some poinsettas
or amarylli
but elaborate decorating seems kinda silly
when we’re not doing seasonal entertaining
and with so little time remaining
in our seemingly endlessly busy lives
a few hours extra
is not a gift that’s small
and spending those together
is the greatest gift of all
we don’t begrudge
your christmas cheer
but we’re opting out
again this year