Christmas in Our Town

Christmas in Jackson Michigan, our town, I'm sure is very much like Christmas in thousands of other towns around the world. City streets lined with decorations; trees, candy canes Santa Clauses, and angels. All that light up boosting the power bill even higher for an already failing community.

With one of the highest unemployment rates in the country Christmas in our tow this year, 2008 is looking even glimmer than years past. From the poorest family to those who were once considered wealthy in our town there isn't money to buy the quality or quantity of Christmas gifts that there was just a few years ago.

The saddest and most difficult thing about Christmas in our town is the attitude, the spirit of Christmas is one of depression and disappointment. Home after home going into foreclosure, parents telling children there isn't going to much of a Christmas this year, And teenager after teenager asking for things the price of which would or could feed the family for a month.

Many churches and organizations try to build the Christmas spirit in Jackson. Just west of Jackson Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church along with Spring Arbor University has it's annual 'Hanging of the Greens". Choirs sing, decorations are put in place, and many other holiday festivities are available for the community to enjoy. That only lasts one night though and the next day it's over and back to business and life as usual.

The Jackson County Fair Grounds once again has the drive through light show that has been put on for the last ten years or so. For a small fee a vehicle full of family and friends can drive through the beautifully decorated grounds witnessing the animated Christmas displays. But, what of the ones who would need to spend a day's grocery money for the fee or don't even have a vehicle to take part in this holiday spirit activity.

Oh, there are still houses brightly lit and Christmas parties for the select invited. There are the bell ringers out side nearly every store seeking donations for the Salvation Army but the buckets are far from over flowing. The boxes waiting for new toys to be dropped in for "Toys for Tots" set nearly empty. Families are still getting together to make Christmas cookies to hand out to friends and co-workers but rather than the beautiful metal tins of past many are resorting to less expensive recipes and paper plates wrapped in plastic.

Obviously this Christmas in our town sounds very depressing but if you have read this far there is a major point to be made. You are what you surround yourself with. If you are feeling down about this Christmas season pull yourself out of it, before it's too late and this Christmas is history.

Whether is $2 spent at the dollar store on a couple simple decorations for your office or spending a day hauling out every box of Christmas decorations you own to deck your home and yard. Invite your neighbors over for hot chocolate and popcorn, sin Christmas carols. Set your mind to give at least one stranger each day a warm smile. Don't feel like you have to spend a million dollars to make someone happy.

Today's society not just in our small towns but around the world have each year added to the down fall and derogation of the Christmas Spirit. Each year has had to be bigger and better - and we wonder why our children want more more more! Christmas is not and should not be about the latest X-Box system or how many Christmas lights you can smoother your house with.

Please stop this madness before Christmas has passed and help save the Christmas Spirit in our Town, your town, every town across the world. Appreciate what you have no matter how great or small. Share with others who have less and "have your self a merry little Christmas now."