May the Spirit of the Christmas Season be Always With You

'Twas the night before Christmas . . . (Credit/Bergeron Image.)

The celebration of Christmas which began as a practice by early Christians in memory of the birth of Jesus has become a tradition observed throughout most of the world, even in those nations where Christians are but a minority and still persecuted.

Yet nothing will dampen the magnificent spirit of this time, regardless of whether people stress its religious or secular aspects – or both.

It is an occasion where families and friends gather to demonstrate their love and concern for one another with the exchange of gifts and the breaking of bread.

Despite the endemic conflicts of this world, the American spirit remains steadfastly indomitable in its refusal to give in to nihilism, a way of thinking that can only contribute to a downward slope of despair. That concept has never taken firm root in the American Republic.

The religious festivals of Chanukah and Christmas observed this time of the year contain messages based upon spreading light throughout the world, not with dwelling upon the darkness of hopelessness.

 

If, over the millennia, the Judeo-Christian message of hope has spilled over and infused itself into the secular world to be enjoyed by all in the form of gift-giving, lights, joy, optimism, and hope, that’s just fine.

 

It’s a great result, isn’t it?

(Note:  The photograph above is from a Williams Sonoma window display at the Bridgewater Commons Mall.)

The Kiddie Dining Table Takes a Hit

The upper part of the Bergeron
family Christmas tree.

As of this Christmas, it has been dispatched to happy memories – another sign that the years are marching on, and that the grandkids are, well – no longer mere kids. 
 
That was the clear takeaway this December when Priscille and I hosted our two grown offspring, together with their families at our home in Bridgewater. 
 
At some of our past Christmas celebrations in this township, the four grandchildren sat at a temporary table in the dining room, thoroughly engrossed in their conversations, while the adults sat nearby at the larger table – bantering taking place among all of us.
 
As the kids grew into their early teens, they moved their venue to a larger, wooden butcher block table in the kitchen. 
 
However, this year was different.  Matthew is now a freshman in college.  Margot is a senior in high school.  Danny becomes a junior next year, and Monique will be a freshman.
 
Not little kids any more.

On Sunday while the food was being prepared, the teens were invited to join the adults at the dining room table.

Excellent decision. 

Listening to them was a delight.  Not one bit bashful (never were), they easily and gracefully joined the conversation, underscoring a level of respect, thoughtfulness, and developing maturity.

Our holiday meals have never been a quick, eat-up-and-clear-the-table sort of thing.  We spent a long time conversing, eating, and simply enjoying one another’s company.  I don’t know for how long.  I never looked at my watch. 

These four young people are part of an upcoming generation that will lead this country in the near future.  They and tens of thousands like them deserve all the support that we can give them.  They have earned the gift of a good example – a rather rare leadership commodity in our nation these days.

Thanks for reading.   May you be blessed with good health and the wind at your back in 2014.


(Click on the Image for an enhanced view.)
 

PC Woes – Humbug!

After my last blog post of December 14, the PC started acting up.  I was able to use it for a couple of days.  But then a near digital disaster made its ugly debut when the warning of an imminent hard disk failure unexpectedly popped up on the screen. 

I immediately called into action the diagnostic power of Norton 360 to check out the entire PC. Not good!  The analytic software kicked out the following message:  “The disk hardware is predicting the hard drive will eventually fail.  Backup your data and replace your hard drive.”

That’s a warning message of impending computer death and the loss of all files.  It’s not what any PC user wants to see.  But it definitely is one that a PC user can ignore only at his or her peril.

Only a Week Away

Each year, no matter how much I think I may be ready for them, the holidays always seem to arrive much more quickly than expected.

Priscille's festive Annalee Dolls welcome
guests who enter into the foyer of our home.

In early October, I begin getting my thoughts in order for the onset of Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

I start thinking about making up a Christmas wish list; begin to consider what gifts to buy for others (I’m not very good at that).

But mainly, I look forward with anticipation to our convivial gatherings with friends and family – dear people with whom Priscille and I have the chance, once again, to share, to reminisce, and to be joyous.  Having the opportunity to add to one’s storehouse of precious memories is a privilege – a gift from the Almighty.

Christmas: Marking an Event that Refuses to Abandon Hope

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent.  It signals the time of year when Christians worldwide prepare to commemorate the birth of Jesus, a child who would grow into an adult whose beliefs and teachings transformed the Roman world and, eventually, the face of Western Civilization. 
 

He is the wellspring of a religion comprising just under 2.2 billion  adherents across the globe.

Although Christianity is in a state of decline in many parts of Europe and faces incipient hostility and ridicule in America, it is holding its own and continues to expand, particularly in nations south of the Equator and in Asia.

 

A Christmas Reality

Image by Bergeron

December 25^th can be somewhat of a challenge for Christians, because there is the constant struggle to keep the commemoration of this day in faithful balance and, therefore, in its proper context. 

Its significance is rooted in the meaning of the event of the birth of Jesus.  But it also has enormous economic implications in the West because of the massive spending associated with it, as people celebrate the occasion with an exchange of gifts. 

A paradox of this Christian feast is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep in balance the contrast between the religious and the secular aspects associated with honoring the birth of Christ. 

Each year at this time, the bigots come out from the darkness of their closets, fully arrayed in the armor of their anti-Christian bias and bigotry, targeting the slightest perceived injustice, as they march to courtrooms across the U.S. waving the Constitution before judges in well-planned attempts to snuff out the joy of Christmas.

Digging Out and Looking Forward

Yesterday's silhoutted sunset belies the ferocity of Sunday's storm

That nor’easter, the ferocity of which just about caught everyone by surprise is gone, but it created havoc all over New Jersey as it roared through our area.   I can’t speak for you, but I am bushed!  I need a good snow blower!

The Bergeron clan was to have gathered at our Bridgewater home the Sunday after Christmas for our traditional holiday get-together celebration.

However, in the notable and often-repeated lament of Robert, the unappreciated brother in the TV comedy series, Everybody Loves Raymond, “It was not meant to be!”  The blizzard kept our travelling family guests from incurring what would have been an unacceptable risk.

Not to worry though.  Flexibility is the name of the game.  In that spirit, we have all reset the timing for New Year’s Day:  The same cast of characters will gather instead at Denise and Jim’s place, where both had previously planned an open house to fête the arrival of the New Year.  Friends, in-laws, cousins, aunts and uncles will congregate at the invitation of our gracious hosts.  Until then, the Christmas gifts remain unwrapped.

Backyard Adirondack chairs await the return of warm summer days.

I hope that all y’all (that’s Texas-speak for ‘everybody’) are not experiencing a case of the post-holiday blues and that you are looking forward to a fulfilling 2011.  

Nonetheless, there is a need to acknowledge that it’s really tough out there for a very large segment of our brothers and sisters.

If you are so inclined, do whatever you can to help by extending yourselves in any way that you feel is appropriate, however modest your effort might be.  

It’s amazing how just a little outreach – a kind word, an unexpected deed here or there – can lift the spirits of the most disheartened among us.

Thanks for reading.  Remain hopeful for the New Year and remember, stay engaged.

Christmas in Bridgewater

A Christmas dawn burnishes a ridgeline in Bridgewater

Blessings can be evanescent – here one moment, gone the next.  They will catch you totally unprepared as they sweep across your path with their graciousness.

I stumbled upon just such a blessing of nature early this morning when, after I had walked down the driveway to pick up the newspapers, I turned and began the gradual walk up to the house. 

It was then that it happened:  As I neared the end of patio leading to the stairs that would bring me to the front door, I glanced to the right and was surprised by an intensely pink dawn covering the entire eastern section of a Bridgewater ridgeline.

It was all over within a minute or two, but it was a soul-filling moment of nature while it lasted.  Luckily, it didn’t escape until after I had hurried into the house for my camera.

May you have a Blessed Christmas day, a greeting extended to those of goodwill from all faiths.

(Note:  Click on photo for a full-sized view.)

Christmas Trees and Angel Trees!

When Priscille and I visit the Bridgewater Commons Mall each year in early November, we never fail to observe how much earlier signs of the Christmas season seem to appear.

The large Christmas tree at center court in the Mall is one such harbinger. It has been up since early November, and Santa has already been quite busy greeting his little visitors, listening to their wishes, and getting them to pose with him for pictures.

There’s one group of disadvantaged children and seniors though, that you are not likely to see visiting Santa at the Mall. Some of those people will most likely not be getting too many gifts this season.

There is, however, a very easy thing that you can do to help out and to make their holiday (as well as your own!) a little cheerier. Those are the people whose names will appear on tags on each of two Angel Trees.

One of those trees will be just outside the indoor entrance to Macy’s on the main level. The second tree will be located near the  Guest Services counter on the lower level. Both trees were behind schedule this year, but they should be in place by now.

All you need to do is to select one of the “Angel Wish” tags from a tree, purchase the item indicated on it, and drop off the unwrapped gift at Guest Services in the lower level, just a few yards away from where Santa is located. Someone will be thankful for your thoughtfulness.

Photo by Dick Bergeron:  Click on it once and once again to see large, high resolution image.

Merry Christmas, Iraq!

About five weeks ago, Priscille and I shipped a box full of goodies to a soldier in Iraq who we’ve nicknamed Jack. In early December, we received a hand-written note from him expressing his thanks for that shipment of assorted food snacks. He informed us that although the troops have plenty to eat, his soldiers are gratified to personally receive something from back home.

Jack is an officer who was recently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He expressed his sentiments that, “It is truly appreciated by everyone here and is a reminder to us that we are supported back home.” He went on to say, “BTW, the nut mix and cookies, along with the other treats, were a big hit and seemed to disappear before the day’s end.” Jack shares everything that he receives with his troops.

With the economic crisis on the U.S. mainland, and with people so concerned about their own financial condition, the media seem to have relegated the account of the lives of American troops to the cul-de-sac of the news wires. Despite that, the spirit and endurance of American men and women in that dusty old Middle Eastern country remain steadfast. These men and women simply want to do their job, complete their tours of duty and get back home safely.

Let’s keep those valiant souls in our thoughts and prayers on this Eve of Christmas, as more than 2 billion Christians worldwide prepare to celebrate the advent of a child born 2000 years ago in yet another country near Iraq, entering humanity with a message of peace, compassion, sacrifice, love and justice.



Note: Please see www.americasupportsyou.mil

Spiffy Food Court

It looks like progress on the food court at the Bridgewater Commons Mall is accelerating at a clip that will have some of the concessions open in time for the post-Thanksgiving day onslaught. I stopped at the management office this morning to speak with the marketing manager about opening dates, but she was out in the main mall area checking things out, so I couldn’t confirm this.

As I walked and paused on the third floor, by the southern end of the mall, the open breadth of the food court area became easily visible. The renovation partitions have been down for some time; tables, chairs and new refuse receptacles are waiting to be placed in the right spots. Several walk-up eateries are already getting ready for business. At one end of a row, on the left side, there is a ‘Grilled Subs.’ Next to it is a salad bar, followed by a ‘Baja-B-Que' concession.

‘Sarku Japan’ is returning, and it is sited in a new location opposite from its former corner spot. In a break with the 100% flavor of the food court, you will also find a ‘Skechers’ to lure you into shoe purchases after you have filled up your belly. Other non-food outlets may open in the food court, looking to accomplish the same purpose.

I must admit that I’ve begun to catch the Christmas Spirit a bit early this year, but it’s with the hope and expectation that, prompted by the economic downturn, people will also remember that the origin of the December festival is the commemoration of the birth of someone whose entry into humanity has had a transformative impact on civilization.