Times are tough. There’s no denying it. In Springfield in this week alone, the signs of hard times are everywhere. More than 400 jobs will be lost in February when a large call center that has been a staple of this area for some time closes shop. That comes on the tail end of a number of plant closures and lay offs. The city has announced a hiring freeze. And my employer has done the same. (Side story here: My employer announced the hiring freeze four days … yes, four days … after I gave notice to leave for my new job. So now my team can’t hire a replacement. *sigh* I considered rescinding my resignation, but I realized that doing so would be a temporary fix to a long-term problem. So I leave my team, which is made up of two people that I genuinely care about, one person short indefinitely. It, frankly, sucks.)
With signs of the economic downturn all around, the predictions for a lackluster holiday season are pouring in. I saw firsthand just how bad it was. Last Wednesday, I went out to finish up the remainder of my Christmas shopping. I spent almost two hours at Target trying to find some good gifts, and I noticed something. While the store was busier than, say, a Wednesday night in September, it was nothing like I would have expected to see at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night a week before Christmas. Then I noticed that the music in the store seemed to be a little lower than usual. It’s almost like a conscious decision was made: “Let’s play some cheerful music, but let’s do it quietly. Let’s not rub it in, the joy of Christmas in times of struggle.”
Then I made my way back to the decor & gift wrap section. It looked virtually untouched. Everything was fully stocked and perfectly aligned. It looked like what you might expect to see in late October when Christmas decor first gets put out (which is ridiculous in and of itself). Then it hit me … this “recession” they speak of, these bad times that are plastered on the news but still seem somehow far removed … it’s all very much real. And it’s all very much right here.
And I wasn’t sure whether I should be happy or sad. For those who have lost their jobs, or are worried about losing their jobs, or are struggling to make ends meet, I am deeply saddened. And I will do what I can to help when I see places to help. But part of me felt relieved.
Because maybe this year, we’ll all be able to take a break from the hustle & bustle and actually experience what Christmas is all about. What I love, and what I have always loved, about Christmas is that thrill, that feeling of joy & giving & love that has carried forth from the first Christmas through today. It’s easy to see that there are a lot of people that aren’t feeling especially “Christmasy” this year. Fewer lights are hung on houses. Store shelves are disturbingly full. And a lot of people are feeling the stress of a tight budget even more. And my wish is that those people will all relax, surround themselves with the people they love, and take a day to celebrate and to feel the hope & love that is what Christmas is all about.
Is this a cheesy post? Absolutely!! Am I embarrassed to be posting it? Just a little bit. But I think we can all gain a lot by slowing down, taking the stress out of Christmas, and just remembering why it is that we spend some much time, energy, and – right or wrong – money celebrating Christmas. To steal the lyrics from one of my favorite Christmas songs, it’s “The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
Merry Christmas!!
