When we use the phrase "Christmas spirit," we usually think of happy things -- the joy of giving, the excitement of seeing friends and family, the love we feel for our fellow man.
Today, I saw the other kind of Christmas spirit -- the meanness that comes out only during the yuletide season.
I volunteer with a community group that puts together events for residents of and visitors to our town, and today, we held our annual Santa's arrival. There are carriage rides, cookies, music, a tree lighting, and, of course, visits with the big guy himself. It's a lovely family event, and it's all free -- which means it attracts some of the meanest people in the community.
It's amazing the way anything to do with children or Christmas brings out the nastiness in people, and the sense of the entitlement they get when attending a free event.
Stationed at the door where people entered to visit with Santa, I heard quite a few nasty comments. People didn't like having to wait; they didn't like the fact that they needed a ticket; they didn't like that we pulled them out of line when they tried to sneak in out of turn.
One man stood and yelled at me for so long that I finally relented and told him to get in line, and then he continued to complain to everyone in line with him. I heard later that the man behind him told him to shut up, that this was a free event and the least he could do was abide by the rules. (I wanted to hug that man). There was also a lady who played the "you're breaking my toddler's heart" card after we told her she wouldn't be able to see Santa today. Sorry kid, but maybe if your mommy hadn't waited to bring you until half an hour after we finished handing out tickets -- the time had been clearly printed in several publications -- she wouldn't be on the naughty list, and you'd get to see Santa.
I understand these parents want their kids to see Santa, and I'm sure the kids looked forward to it. Plus it was a long, cold wait outside, especially for those children whose parents hadn't bothered to dress them in winter coats. But come on. This was a free community event. We had more than 500 people attend. People shouldn't expect to get in and out within 10 minutes; it just doesn't work like that.
It just goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished and that no amount of nice things you do for a person will ever be enough.
I've had a really stressful couple of weeks, and this weekend has been especially maddening. So on the way to the event today, I got to thinking how it would lift my spirits to attend a community celebration where happiness was the order of the day. How disappointing that some people thought their happiness was more important than the happiness of others.
So now, with the day behind me, I can't help feeling a little like Charlie Brown, wondering if anyone out there can tell me what Christmas is all about.
2 comments:
i guess that town holds more than one evil person. sorry to hear it sucked a little. i keep hearing a ton of bah-humbug about the upcoming holiday. we should try to turn it around! a crusade to save christmas!!
I can't help noticing that the people you talked about who were entitled and nasty were all adults. Kids are the ones who, by nature, are self-centered. Isn't it sad that they're the only ones who can appreciate the simple gift of an event like this, where the only price is that they have to wait their turn?
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