Home for Christmas

Saluda, NC (TLS). Perry Como said it best in his 1954 hit, 'Home for the Holidays.'

'O there's no place like home for the holidays,
For no matter how far away you roam,
If you want to be happy in a million ways,
For the holidays you can't beat home sweet home.

'I met a man who lives in Tennessee,
And he was headed for
Pennsylvania and some homemade pumpkin pie,
From Pennsylvania folks have traveled down
To Dixie's sunny shores
From Atlantic to Pacific,
Gee, the traffic is terrific.

'O there's no place like home for the holidays,
For no matter how far away you roam,
If you want to be happy in a million ways,
For the holidays you can't beat home sweet home.'

It is good to be home for Christmas. To my thinking, nothing in this world can compare to a Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas celebrated with family. However, it was not always so. I have spent many a Christmas far from home in various places, primarily due to career.

Today there are many here in the States and around the world who are not afforded the joy of returning home for Christmas. Another Como song, recorded by countless singers, describes the melancholic feeling:

'I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow
And mistletoe
And presents on the tree

'Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams.'

So many during this time of the year contemplate Christmas with a misty-eyed longing for better times or a melancholic remembrance of what once was. Many churches this year have recognized this and have planned services especially for those who grieve or who are otherwise unhappy during this season.

This is a good thing, and it's about time. Many persons feel an enormous amount of pressure from society, friends, and family to appear 'happy' during this time of year, whether they actually feel that way or not. This only adds to their pain.

Let's face it, life is not always a barrel of laughs. Death, loss, divorce, lay-offs, illness, and backruptcy do not take a break for Christmas. It is unrealistic to expect persons who suffer to suddenly pop into a state of euphoria simply because of the holidays.

So, my friends, be kind this year to someone who is down. Don't expect them to act a certain way. Let them be where they are emotionally. But let them know they are cared for.

We may not all be able to go home for Christmas, but perhaps through the kindness of others we can find a bit of home deep within our own hearts.