Realizing that Christmas preparation or early advertising for the season has been going on since October, I set all that aside because everyone knows that it doesn't begin until the day after Thanksgiving.

Folks, those are the rules and don't try to change them.

Let's refer to the legal book, Wikipedia. "Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Christmas often combines His birth with traditional customs borrowed from winter festivals. Greek versions of the New Testament have the first letter of Christ as "X" or Xristos and many use — which is okay — Xmas, an abbreviation for Christmas." Further information tells us that the idea of some sort of celebration was highly disputed, ignored and unrecognized until the Middle Ages. Colonial America outlawed the celebration because it was an English custom.

Around the 1840s, Charles Dickens wrote, "The Christmas Carol," and the holiday took wings with its story of family, compassion and true celebration. Let's not forget "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and Santa Claus. For authority, Christmas was declared a national holiday in 1870. "How about commercialism?", you ask. Well, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) extended Christmas shopping days to improve our economy.

There's not enough space to cover why a tree, poinsettias, mistletoe (yep), garlands, bells, candles, candy canes, stockings, wreaths and cactus.

You also ask, "Mr. Smarty Pants, what's the perfect old time correct way to celebrate?"

My answer, "The correct way is the way I do it!"

A week or so ahead of Christmas, my dad brought in a bucket of water, a tree stand and a big old smelly pine tree. Then mom would spend hours decorating it with tinsel, very itchy angel hair, big and very warm lights, and topped it off with something called an angel (or angle by us kids). Using very carefully and threatening language, my sister and I — especially me — for some reason were told about the dangers of electrocution, burning down the house and destroying Christmas. When evening came and darkness was just right, on came the lights and I was hooked for the rest of my life. Well, come Christmas morning — very, very early — the added treat was presents! If you haven't, be sure to watch the Christmas movie with Ralphie and the Red Ryder BB gun. This is the perfect way to celebrate.

And you do it your way! Don't expect anyone else to copy what you do because your way is just right. Their way is also just right, so give it a rest!

I suppose most of us are caught up in the same dilemma: want, need, cost, availability, dream and reality. We all want our loved ones to enjoy our presents to them, and we can envision the smile, appreciation, delight and hugs when that special gift is opened. It'll be just fine. A gift, given in love, says it all.

Ah, Christmas. The world has been waiting for a long, long time. What is it that the world just has to have? Is it power, wealth, control? Or is it peace, predictability and prosperity?

Because the world is unable to choose, Almighty God made the perfect choice. He gave to the world His Son. Mere words cannot express our amazement or can any actions demonstrate our understanding.

What must we do with the perfect gift? Christmas helps us to try. We give freely what God has given freely. It is the feeding of the hungry, the bringing of hope, the beginning of life, the care of the outcast ... please add to the list.

Decorate the halls! Light the candles! Sing the carols! Ring the bells!

Thanks, God!