How I really became the Grinch

Now I get it. I didn't understand before, but last night while Dylan was putting together this extravagant toy that we "won" but also brought to the crazy gift exchange, I was thinking a lot. I don't know what makes Christmas special. I don't know what makes it any more special than any other day of the year. Why do we celebrate the birth of Christ by giving each other presents and is that what makes the day special? I have really been thinking about the Grinch because I read it to the boys at least once a week during the "Christmas Season" and you know, the Grinch breaks into the houses and steals EVERYTHING but they still sing. I don't think I could do that. If I woke up on Christmas morning and everything in my house was gone (something that's not incredibly far fetched here) I don't think I would get up and be like, "Wow, it's Jesus' birthday, and who cares that someone stole all of our stuff. Let's sing Joy to the World!" Yeah, if it happened here I'd be coming back to the States in a heartbeat. But I think that makes me shallow, because I suppose it's all about the presents. Dylan said without presents it would be a special day like Easter, but how many of us treat Easter the same as Christmas? Plus, a lot of Christian families I know still give gifts at Easter, but not to the extent of Christmas.

That said, my boys don't have one toy under the tree this year. It's only Geo Trax extensions for their train set, but I think that's the only toy under there. Now there are things that other people sent that are wrapped and I don't know what those are, so they could have more toys, but I think it's mostly books and puzzles and games.

I also don't get everyone who opens their presents as soon as they receive them, particularly from us. I get it if you are with the person who gave you the gift and this is it, but if you get a package of wrapped gifts, why do you open them as soon as you get them? If we did that we wouldn't have anything under the tree at all on Christmas morning.

I wanted to get Seth this Fisher Price Digital camera for Christmas, since he loves mine and the Fisher Price one actually has a view screen that he can look at. I went to order it BEFORE Thanksgiving and EVERYONE was sold out online. Before Thanksgiving! No one has had it in stock since then. So maybe I can order it after Christmas for his birthday, but that just sucks. It is all about the presents isn't it?