I DO celebrate Christmas, etc.

I celebrate Christmas. And Hannukah. And birthdays. And anniversaries. And holidays that have nothing to do with my heritage. Celebration lifts the human spirit, so I’m all for it.

That said, I celebrate on my own schedule with my own agenda. You might be surprised to hear carols playing at my house in July. Your April birthday present might be wrapped in Christmas paper, and your St. Patrick’s Day dinner might be turkey with all the trimmings. You might come home from a lousy Monday in August to find a small gift draped in tinsel on your porch, just to give you a smile.

Sometimes it’s a very nice thing that we all find one day when we can celebrate together. But it’s important for me that I don’t confine my reason for the celebration to that one day; that was a difficult thing for me to learn, but I did.

Yes, there’s much sorrow in the world. But there’s also so much that is worth celebrating, and we needn’t wait for a particular day. Smiles are free, so are hugs. And singing. And if you want to add colorful lights and candles and decorations, all the better.

Life should be celebrated. And for me, Christmas is one of many fine excuses to do exactly that.