Keeping a goose-less house

Good morning Miss Etta and good morning world!

As I was walking on my treadmill this morning, watching Fox News, my mind started traveling to all the things I had to do. High on my list was to finish up my Christmas shopping.

I know it is anti-American and absolutely not something most belle's would admit to, but I surely do hate to shop. I swear I can do a mall in under 15 minutes and be ready to go home before ten are up.

I also do not like the idea that everyone expects to get some heavenly gift from yours truly every year at Christmas. I have decided that I will do my normal gift giving this year because I would hate to disappoint the youngsters, and I do love to give, but I am thinking of making a change this next year.

Instead of giving gifts on the expected holidays, I am going to surprise my friends and relatives all year long with little thoughtful gifts. I am going to put a little card on each telling them it's an early Christmas or birthday present. An installment if you would.

Christmas has become a time of expectation. We expect to get a gift and we're disappointed when we don't, or if it's not something we want. How many things do we have stuffed in our closets that we have to pull out when Aunt Sadie comes to visit?

I remember a friend years back who decided that I needed to collect geese. I have NO earthly idea why she got it into her pretty little southern head that my house needed to have ceramic geese and hot pads and even geese wall hangings. However, every time there was a gift giving occasion she gave the gift of geese.

Well, I am not a goose person at all. I think all animals belong outside, even the one that don't breath.

Needless to say, I had a special closet just for her gifts. When she came to visit, I would take these horrible things out so her feelings wouldn't be hurt. It's a southern thing. There just are certain things you do not do and not showing appropriate appreciation for someones dedicated shopping is one of them.

I was SO relieved when she moved to North Carolina. It didn't matter how many geese she shipped to me after that, I did not have to put them out.

We have since lost touch and I now keep a geese-less house. The geese went the way of a yard sale and I'm sure they are now gracing the home of someone who loves and appreciates them.

At Christmas, people give a lot of geese just so they'll have something to give. Proper shoppers and those who truly care work their credit cards to a frazzle trying to find just the perfect gifts, ones that won't end up in a closet.

We all punish ourselves by spending time shopping, and we seem to forget why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. I've heard the reasoning as to why to celebrate the birth of Jesus we give gifts to others. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Somehow I just can't picture Him watching our frenzied shopping and connecting with how it has anything to do with His birth. Doesn't it seem to you Miss Etta that what He'd probably like to see is us giving all year long? I'm not talking about giving toys to our children, although that is truly a fun thing to do. I am talking about giving a gift of food to someone who doesn't have any, or anonymously sending a neighbor in need a money order, or "adopting" someone in a nursing home who isn't blessed with a family.

There are so many people doing so many good things, especially here in Fayette County. Why every day I read or hear about some good work someone has done. I wonder if somehow we could find a way to do good works throughout the year and tie it to Christmas giving? I will have to think on that for a while.

Miss Etta, I know that you are one who knows the real meaning of Christmas and it will be something you truly celebrate. I know, too, that these are some profound wanderings for early on a cold Tuesday morning.

I am going to ponder more on the things I've touched on in this journal. After I get back from shopping this afternoon.

Miss Faye