Cars honked as Santa Claus waves to passers-by on Friday in downtown Gardnerville.
I recently watched Dr. Suess’ The Grinch with my kids. And as I was watching, I couldn’t help but relate to the Grinch and Cindy-Lou-Who this year more than I ever have.
In one scene Cindy feels like she has lost what Christmas is all about. As she looks around, everyone is obsessed with buying gifts, decorating and carrying out traditions, but she realizes that something is missing and doesn’t know why.
She even sings a song about it and that song hit home for me.
“Where are you Christmas, why can’t I find you. Why have you gone away? ... Does that mean Christmas changes too? Or is it just me?”
I can’t speak for all, but for my family and a few friends I have talked to, this season has felt “off.” We have done all the seasonal things including decorating, putting up a Christmas tree, built gingerbread houses and baked cookies, saw Christmas lights, took pictures with Santa Claus and wrote him letters, our Elves on the Shelf have been causing their shenanigans and the Christmas shopping is done. But despite checking our lists twice and marking off traditions, it still doesn’t feel all that jolly this season. Why? What are we missing?
Are we still healing from the pandemic? Is increased gas prices and inflation to blame? Our family has been sick a lot since October from the flu, ear infections, sore throats and stuffed noses to RSV. Are we still recovering from all of that? Is it the losses of family members, or a combination of life hurdles in general? Whatever it is, it has felt like we’d rather have skipped this Christmas all together. But, like Cindy throughout the movie, we have done our best to push through and try to find the joy or to at least help bring it to others.
Later in the movie, after the Grinch has stolen the presents from the Whos and he’s about to dump everything off Mount Crumpit, the he hears the Whos’ “Welcome Christmas” song and stops dead in his tracks. At first, the Grinch is angry that he didn’t “steal” Christmas.
“I didn’t’ stop Christmas from coming, somehow or another it came, just the same,” said the Grinch.
But what he realizes next, is part of the key to what Christmas is all about and what we have forgotten.
“Perhaps Christmas doesn’t come from a store,” said the Grinch. “Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.”
During tough times, it’s easy to forget the things that are most important. Christmas is not about how many presents Santa brought or how full the stockings are. It’s not about the decorations or fancy lights, the fig pudding or roast beast. None of that matters. What matters most is being surrounded by those you love. It’s about seeing the smiles on your children’s faces, the soft blanket of snow on Christmas morning and the hugs and greetings from loved ones.
Like the Whos, Christmas to me is simply about coming and being together. My family can’t be bought and they definitely will not fit under my Christmas tree, but if they could, it’s all I would want. I have realized that all the things we have done together this season gave us smiles and laughter, cherished moments as a family and joy. I don’t know of anything better I could have asked for.
My hope to you, is that you remember that Christmas is so much more than what comes from a store. Hug your loved ones tighter and remember that simply being together is the greatest gift of all.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Years.
Sarah Drinkwine grew up in Gardnerville and is a Douglas High and Western Nevada College graduate.
