T'was the night before Christmas and up and down the holler folks were keeping the lights low just trying to save a dollar.
That's about as far as Meat got in his version of the Night Before Christmas. He's great at starting things. Unfortunately, finishing things gets in the way of starting new things, so you'll have to finish that one yourself.
It's Christmas day and heathens like Meat and I are blessed to have mothers who say prayers for us. We don't agree on much, but we both think that's about the best thing you can have outside of a trust fund.
I don't think it much matters which religion you're praying from, if it's from a religion at all. I'm not much for church, but I believe in praying. When enough people are praying for the same good thing, miraculous things can happen. Believe me, I'm reminded of that daily.
When growing up, my mother gathered her sons together on Christmas Eve and read a story. It wasn't the story of the the birth of Jesus, but the story of the peddler who'd made a special pair of shoes for Jesus. He expected a holy visit, but only 3 strangers came to his door. The first was cold and the peddler invited him in and warmed him. The second was hungry and he fed him. But the third was barefoot and all the peddler had were the one ready pair of shoes. There was no choice, he gave the stranger the shoes.
That night, he was disappointed that no one else came to his door. At his lowest moment, Jesus appeared next to him. "My Lord, I waited but you didn't come and now I have nothing left for you," he said.
But Jesus said "I visited you three times. I was cold and you warmed me. I was hungry and you fed me. I had no shoes and you put shoes on my feet. Verily I say unto you..." It's been a lot of years, so I'm just a little vague on the exact wording. But the message that came with that verily has followed me my whole life. For me, it is what this day and season are really all about.
At the most basic level, and to millions of believers, the day is about the birth of their savior. That's all right and good. But I'm not really one of those, so the meaning of the day and season for me is a little broader.
Christmas is about hope. It's about wishing for something better and in that wishing, treating some of your fellow humans with some hope. Not hope for tomorrow, but hope for right now. If you're giving hope, you are getting more in return. On Christmas and every other day.
We're throwing no snowballs on Christmas day, not that you could come up with any in this weather. It's a day for hugs and cheer, so on this day Happy Holidays to one and all.
And Merry Christmas to the ones that last line ticked off. This heathen prays one day you figure it out, too.