Losing Its Luster

Losing Its Luster

Luster

Noun                                                                    A position of exalted widely recognized importance:    distinction, eminence, eminency, fame, glory, illustriousness, mark, notability, note, preeminence, prestige, prominence, prominency, renown.

Luster is one word that I could think of to describe the level of importance to certain holidays growing up.  Consider that the holidays have remained pretty much unchanged, but in our eyes and mind (which have matured) the holidays are losing their luster.

I totally love all holidays, but number one and number two have to be Christmas and Thanksgiving.  Occupying third place would have to be Memorial Day.  Memorial Day has different relevance to a multitude of people for different reasons:  1) a day designated for remembrance of loved ones that have gone ahead of us, 2) a day to celebrate and recognize and honor our military heroes that made the ultimate sacrifice, 3) of great importance to young people in high school and college; the signal to the beginning of Summer and start of school vacation.  Secondary but also important are the wonderful family and friend get togethers for BBQ’s, and just plain ole catching up.

I still remember being young and looking forward to bed time on Christmas eve, because I knew that by Christmas morning Santa would have come by and left me some presents.  My parents always managed to surprise me and exceed my expectations. 

I can only think of one Christmas when it almost ended up being a total disaster, but instead turned out to be the most memorable Christmas ever.  Check out the post:  Unexpected Best Christmas, http://www.being50.com/2013/06/unexpected-best-christmas.html

I wish I could tell you at what age I stopped believing in Santa Claus, but I honestly don’t remember.  I do know that I had my suspicions about whether he was real or not for a few years, but I didn’t dare not believe, just in case.  After that holiday lost its luster for me, it wasn’t until, I was a married young adult with children before I started to enjoy seeing the same look of amazement in the little faces of my children.

Now, once again the clock keeps ticking, and my babies are now adults with children of their own.  In recent years that same look of amazement can now be seen in the little faces of my grandchildren.  The luster of the holiday is never lost it just gets passed on from generation to generation.  It’s up to people like you and me, to continue to encourage it and keep it alive.  You could even say that as grandparents we would do well to look at Christmas through the eyes of our grandchildren and great grandchildren.  The best is yet to come……..

Breaking Tradition

Breaking Tradition

Sometimes circumstances control decisions that need to be made.  Two things are usually involved in the decision making process: 1) your heart, and 2) your wallet.  If your heart is in the right place and your wallet is financially adequate, the decision is easy. Go with your heart.

Many years ago as an employer, I preferred to reward my employees with year-end bonuses instead of pay increases.  To be fair, bonuses were performance based, and reviewed by a committee.  The preference for bonuses over pay increases, is that increases simply become a burden on payroll by being ongoing whether you have a great year or a bad year.  If the corporation is having a bad year financially, everyone is made aware during the course of the year, and bonuses are not expected.  Yet if you can still manipulate your financial picture and come through with a bonus you become a hero.

The post about tradition doesn’t involve payroll, but something equally important if not more.  I am not really looking for direction because unfortunately I am the one that has to bite this bullet.  I simply couldn’t help but wonder if there are other people out there in a position similar to mine.

While our family has been drawing names for gift exchanges at Christmas, we (as heads of the clan) have always maintained the tradition of giving every man woman and child in the immediate family a nice gift.  We are fortunate that our family size keeps increasing, and budget for gifts is ever growing.  Unfortunately all our grown children have taken their cue from us, and are also starting to give everyone a nice gift.  No one is complaining but I can’t help but notice that the gifts are ever more expensive. 

No one is skipping any meals over the gift giving, and no one is complaining, but I feel the need to bring it under control.  Since I opted for early retirement, I am the one that is best equipped to make an excuse for cutting back.  I plan to bring the adults over to a meal and discuss the possibility of not only drawing names but adhering to it.  I know that the gesture is a great one, but in reality if everyone kept their money they could spend it on themselves any way they see fit.

Family matters are not easy to settle and sometime the best intentions can be misunderstood. Wish me well, as I plan to bring this to a discussion and solution early in 2014.  In the meantime if you are wrestling with a similar dilemma, and have a better solution let me know how it works out.  The best is yet to come…..

Many Happy Returns

Many Happy Returns

Day after Christmas is a very busy time for all retailers (brick and mortar or online).  Most people place a lot of thought and special consideration into gift giving, but a large percentage of people feel the need to return and exchange gifts.

In my whole life I have returned one gift, and it was for the sake of economics, and not for any other reason.  My wife and had been married two years, and she gave me a black jacket that I absolutely loved.  However, when we visited the mall on the first shopping day after Christmas, we noticed the big sign that read “Buy One and Get One Free.”  We went home immediately, and picked up the jacket so I could return it (yes, we had the receipt).  We walked into the store separately, and as I was returning the one jacket, she was buying two for the price of one.  I had for the longest time one black and one brown jacket that lasted me for the longest time.

As the memories come back to me, I still wish I had a jacket, like the ones I got for Christmas that year.  The reason that I always hang on to my gifts is simple, GRATITUDE!  Someone thought enough of me to give me a gift.  I feel that I would be disrespectful if I returned a gift that someone took the trouble to get for me.  A few years back I had a friend (won’t mention any names) that gave me a box of chocolates every year on behalf of his company, for Christmas.  I so enjoyed those chocolates (not cheap) that I decided to start buying the same product, and giving it to my good but less personal friends.  Personal to me, means someone with whom I am very familiar with, such as knowing their likes and dislikes.  This chocolates were a quality product that could be enjoyed by the whole family or circle of friends.

I know people, friends, and relatives that will return for exchange a gift almost every time.  I’ve often asked my wife to just give these people a gift card so they can get their own gift.  My wife, however, insists on putting in the time and effort of locating a gift specific to the person.  There is a saying that, “It’s better to give, than to receive,” and the older I get the truer it is.

 

My wife and I are blessed enough that we can get each other (within reason) whatever we want all through the year.  This year beside the special gifts that I always wish for: Good health, the love of my family, the happiness, and well-being of my children and their children, and all the other blessings that the good Lord provides, my one special gift is a retro game system.  I hope that you also had a very enjoyable Christmas, my wish for all my readers is for good health, shelter over your heads, and a happy and loving family.  The best is yet to come….

Story of Rudolph

Story of Rudolph

I don’t need any prodding to get me into the Christmas Spirit.  I’ve often said that I’ve never had a bad Christmas, and it’s a fact, but I am also aware that not everyone is as fortunate or blessed as I have been.  This is the first time that I run into the true story of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.  It was sent to me by my best friend Mike, because he knows that I am always a good recipient for a story of struggle and eventual success by an underdog.  Without anything that I could possibly add to make it more interesting, I am glad that I can share the following story with my readers.

THE TRUE STORY OF RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER ~ By David Emery

A guy named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night. His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing.

Bobs wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer. Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dads eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?"

Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob. Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in.

Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression.

Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums.

Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938. Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined a make one - a storybook! Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animals story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope.

Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose.

Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn't end there. The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book. In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter.

But the story doesn't end there either. Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore , it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas." The gift of love that Bob May create d for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.  The best is yet to come……