Have the Hap, Hap, Happiest Christmas!

So, I’m a bit of a Scrooge. At least that’s what some of my friends think. This isn’t necessarily the case. However, over the past 5 years, I’ve kinda disappeared and spent the holiday alone in a new location each season. You see, it’s usually the only extended period of time that I get off each year, and I liked to use that opportunity to explore new territory, see and try new things. I’ve spent Christmas in Miami, New Zealand, Mexico, Switzerland and the Bahamas. I’ve met some of the most amazing people in my life on these solo holiday trips, and created some of the most unique stories I have to date. But this year, for the first time in a long time, and after my family said please, I decided to come on home for Christmas. I’m proud to say, I’m still terrible at wrapping presents, but I had one of the best holidays in a very long time. The same old Christmas parties I used to go to as a kid, snow on Christmas morning, great food and quality time with my parents, siblings and nieces, all made for a wonderful trip.

            Even though the idea of Christmas spirit and what it means to people has changed over the years, I believe I saw more of that spirit this year than I had in a long time. Bieber finally put out a Christmas album, LED bulbs have officially taken over the old school hit-or-miss strands, Santa got an iPhone 4S with siri to help make deliveries, more people than ever got injured on Black Friday trying to get the best deal on a toy for their kid, and I got to catch up on all the Christmas films I haven’t seen in years.

            I learned to tell someone I loved them from Love Actually, even if it was your housekeeper, best friend’s wife, employee, classmate or one-night foursome. From The Stone I learned that even if your family hates Carrie Bradshaw, they’ll learn to love her once she starts dating your younger brother. I learned that Olive, the other reindeer is a bully. I mean, why do you always have to laugh at and call Rudolph names, Olive? I learned that yellow cars wont stop for you, even if you dress like an Elf and truly are from the North Pole. That if you lose a hundred pounds and become a record executive, she’ll still see you as “just friends,” and that sometimes, being green, taking away all the lights, presents, trees and food can’t even break the Christmas sprit. But the most important lesson I learned while curled up on the couch, drinking hot apple cider with rum this holiday season, was that Clark W. Griswold is my idol.

            D and I, along with a few very close friends watched Christmas Vacation this year as our choice comedy of the season. But as I watched and laughed, I really started to understand the underlying message: the struggle of a husband, father, son, employee and neighbor. Clark spends the entire movie trying his hardest to make sure everyone in his family has the “Old Fashioned” Christmas they’ve always dreamed of. He opens up his home to anyone who wishes to come in, works his ass off to make sure everyone has the best presents, and he lights up the entire neighborhood so no one else has to worry about spending their hard earned time or money putting up lights of their own.

            He does all of this selflessly. With no thought of his own happiness or well being in mind. The one, and only, time he gets upset, it’s only over a situation that will affect the overall happiness and joy of his family; the bonus he’s entitled to and has worked so hard to receive.

            It makes me wonder, are there men out there today who have the ability to be as good a man as Clark Griswold? Clark wasn’t interested in going out with his friends for drinks on Christmas Eve, nor was he concerned with watching the football game after dinner. He wasn’t upset when he didn’t receive the latest technological gadget, nor did he buy his kid a present like say a PS3 that was really more for himself than his daughter. And even though the in-laws (and their pets) caused so much turmoil, he still invited them all back in the spring for the groundbreaking of the pool.

            He cried while watching old family videos of his kids, changed the outlook of his boss and even had time to read to his family on Christmas Eve.

            Clark W. Griswold is a man. Not a boy who’s interested in checking his fantasy football scores during dinner or gets drunk and embarrasses you in front of your colleagues at the Holiday party. He’s a man to look up to, a good role model for his children and a husband that will always fight for his marriage, because just picking up and leaving couldn’t possibly be an option.

            Do you have a Sparky? Or are you still just running around with a boy? Have you been waiting holiday season after holiday season for your boy to turn into a man? Or do you have one who is willing to place his life on the line so you can be happy during the holidays? Which one would you rather bring around your family the next holiday season?

WJNTY - Seth


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