Advent Conspiracy

I'm generally not a Christmas fan. I've been called a Scrooge and other names because of my lack of enthusiasm for the day of our dear Savior's birth. Here's the thing, I don't think I'd adamantly hate Christmas if all we did was celebrate the birth of Christ. Instead, it's about what we want for Christmas and what we still have to do before the holiday. It has little to do with mangers and heavenly hosts announcing something great.
I've been like this since I was a kid, bitter at Christmas. I think it started when I was forced to sit on a strangers lap at a party and drink something called eggnog. They called this man Santa, I called him a creeper. At the age of 4 I already knew that a fat man who watched me all the time and took notes on my behavior for his naughty and nice list was freakish. Hey Santa, I think God can take care of watching over us in a much less peeping tom sort of way.
My mother noted that about me and never forced Santa, the bunnies, the fairies, or any other weird creature that is allowed in our houses in the middle of the night. For that I'm forever grateful. Some of my friends think I'm evil for not encouraging such fantasies. I think I'm going to keep my kids out of therapy because they wont have to deal with realizing the whole world lied to them because they were innocent.
Despite my rant, I'm actually excited for Christmas this year. Candy canes, evergreens, possibly even snow all seem a bit more cheery to me. I plan on making a donation to living water international (www.water.cc) instead of giving presents. It isn't that I'm being thoughtless. Last year, I gave my roommate a basket filled with goodies. She moved out a few weeks ago, the basket still unopened. She didn't need the basket or anything in it. The kids LWI gives water too, those kids will not wait a year to drink the water. They will not shove the well in the back of the closet or recycle the gift. No, they will get the gift of life.
The gift of life. Isn't that what Christmas is about? Call me a scrooge if you'd like when I laugh at you for putting little Santas on your wall. But, my laughter this Christmas will be filled with joy when I think about a kid who gets to live another day because she had something to drink.