Dear Santa

Here is my Christmas wish-list of items that I really, really, really… don’t want!

• Wall-to-Wall Industrial Grade Garage Floor Covering for the true neatnik $279.99
• Three Prong Battery-operated Rotisserie Marshmallow Roaster for those who find it too taxing to rotate their marshmallows. $39.95
• Voice Card that adds a personalized recorded message of, yes, your voice to the gifts you give. $9.99
• Purrfect Cat Mood Detector with microphone and flashing light to detect your cat’s purr. $14.99
• Iced Grillz. Hip teeth covers glittering with authentic Austrian crystal. $34.99
• iRocker Interactive Sound Chair. Made for iPod 30 pin docking station. $299.00
• and while I’m at it, I don’t want an iPod either. $249.00

There’s so much more I could add to the list, but I don’t want to completely overwhelm you with all the myriad and wondrous objects that have been created on which one can choose to light a match to one’s money. Okay, maybe minus the iPod–I just prefer silence.

You’re detecting a touch of the Bah-Humbug? You are so perceptive! I admit it. I’ve come to dread so much about the Christmas season. There’s much about it I find crass and dysfunctional. The meaning of Christmas is touted as the season of giving. I think of it as the season of forced spending–where so many people are pushed to go into debt to provide their loved ones with the latest and greatest.

To what end? I know Madison Ave would have us do it to keep up with the Jones’s. Our kids would have us do it keep up with their friends. The GNP would have us do it to be good citizens and fortify the economy. And we would have us do it, because we want to make our kids happy. And, let’s face it, it’s too hard to totally buck the system.

I just can’t help but wonder what Jesus would have us do. Since, after all, it is the celebration of his birthday.

While I’ve moved away from traditional religion for various reasons, I maintain a great deal of respect for Jesus and Buddha. I think they both got it right.

Here’s my guess as to what Jesus might want for his birthday celebration:

Love thy fellow humans (I suspect Jesus isn’t sexist) as thyself.

Be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle.

Take better care of this planet created for you; give time to reflect on the grandeur all around you.

Help another, when you see they need help.

Love ALL God’s creatures.

And last but not least…

Peace on Earth. Good will to All.