by Randall Allen Dunn

Take it all down.

Christmas is over.

Do not despair

But rather, be glad.

We had a good year.

Now let’s have another,

Remembering all the good times that we had.

It’s easy to get discouraged when the holidays are over. The presents have all been opened and the beautiful ribbons and bows have become a pile of clutter on the floor. Some people plan for Christmas and look forward to it all year, then get depressed when the parties are all over. They put their whole heart – and most of their bank account – into the holidays. And once the holidays are over, so is their joy.

That’s understandable. Everyone is a little disappointed after a wonderful party finally ends. But we don’t have to wait for next Christmas or the next big event to enjoy all that life has to offer.

The Relient K song, “Boxing Day”, talks about this kind of sadness creeping in. Making us feel that, without Christmas, life gets boring again. Personally, I love Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday and my favorite time of year, and I always miss it when it’s gone. But life doesn’t end – or become sad – when the date changes on the calendar.

Oh, no more lights glistening.

No more carols to sing.

But Christmas, it makes way for spring.

Of course, people won’t be as excited or friendly as they were at Christmastime, and the twinkling lights and decorations will gradually disappear from rooftops and store displays. The anticipation for Christmas presents and family get-togethers will vanish, to be substituted with anticipation for New Year’s Eve parties, resolutions, and plans for the coming year.

Like New Year’s Day, Christmas should be a renewal. A time when we discover the capacity we have in us for kindness, compassion, charity and faith. A time when we re-discover the wonder of childhood and the joy of fresh hope.

Why should that evaporate when the calendar changes?

It’s interesting that Boxing Day originated as an act of service. It was designated as a special celebration for servants, who had to spend the entire Christmas day working – just like store employees stuck working on the holiday. Boxing Day allowed the servants to have their own Christmas all to themselves. The “Christmas spirit” led people to think about the welfare of those serving them throughout the holidays, and create a special time for them, beyond December 25^th.

The hearts of men

Are bitter and weathered,

As cold as the snow

That falls from above.

But just for one day,

We all came together.

We showed the whole world that we know how to love.

Why not hold on to what we learned and experienced at Christmas, to carry it with us for the rest of the year? And for the rest of our lives?

If we allow Christmas to be more than just a party or a date on the calendar, then discouragement won’t find room to settle in our hearts. And we’ll find that we not only look forward to next Christmas with greater joy, but we also look forward to everything else in the coming year.

Don’t just celebrate Christmas; celebrate life.

Find more reviews of “Let It Snow, Baby, Let It Reindeer” at amazon.com!

by Randall Allen Dunn

I have to admit: I just don’t feel as “Christmas-y” this year as I have in the past. I think it’s because I’ve been so far behind in my schedule of Christmas activities. Two weeks before Christmas, we still didn’t have our tree up, we still had not wrapped any presents, and I was still trying to figure out how to set up our porch lights correctly. We had hardly listened to any Christmas music, only watched two Christmas movies, and the only Christmas party I attended was the one at my office. We’ve just been too busy, and I think everyone’s been a little too broke to make elaborate plans for parties or programs or anything else.

Meanwhile, my minor attempts to enjoy Christmas with the kids were kind of a bust. Abby’s thrilled about Christmas, of course. She loves singing Christmas carols any time of the year. But we had to re-schedule three plans for seeing Christmas lights, and the only Christmas movies she wanted to watch were “Elf” and “Christmas with the Kranks” – each one for the third time this year. She finally consented to change up the pace by watching a Christmas cartoon. However, instead of “Frosty the Snowman” or “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”, or any of the other movies I anticipated sharing with her again this year, she chose “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas” – which she watched for about sixty days straight last year. But it’s something, anyway. Only fifty-nine more viewings to go.

Meanwhile, Nicki and I have been too busy to relax much with a Christmas movie or anything else. She’s been watching kids for child care during the day and making fudge to sell at night, while I’m creating and preparing lessons for the three writing classes I’m teaching and writing blogs like this one to let everyone know how extremely busy we are. We know we’ll get it all done by Christmas day, but it seems harder to enjoy the journey without our usual traditions. It just doesn’t feel like the Christmas we had hoped for.

I share some of the disappointment of divorced radio psychologist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), on the “Frasier” TV episode, “Miracle on Third or Fourth Street”. Excited to spend Christmas with his young son, he’s devastated to learn that plans have changed and his son won’t be able to visit. He ends up taking out his frustrations on his father and the rest of his family, and walks out on their Christmas plans. He’s no longer in a festive “Christmas” mood.

He regrets his outburst later, realizing he’s just depressed over missing his son. Desperate to restore his Christmas spirit, he volunteers to cover a late-night shift on the air, to invite callers to talk about how they maintain their Christmas spirit.

Unfortunately, the callers provide such dismal reports of their own tragedies and misery at Christmas that Frasier ends the show, emotionally drained and despondent. He soon ends up moping at a diner, unshaven in a sweatshirt and jeans, feeling less Christmas-like than ever.

Then, to top off his horrible day, he discovers that his wallet is missing. Seeing how he’s dressed, the waitress doesn’t buy his story about leaving it in his overcoat in his car down the street.

But a homeless man named Tim (John J. Finn) sitting at the counter tells Frasier not to worry, because he’ll help cover it. “It’s okay, buddy. We’ve all been there,” he assures him. He takes his hat around to the other customers, asking them to donate their change to help a man cover his bill. Frasier is deeply embarrassed by the gesture, but the man tells him, “Don’t be embarrassed. Look at it this way. The rest of the year belongs to the rich people, with their fancy houses and their expensive foreign cars. But Christmas – Christmas belongs to guys like us.”

He hands the bowl to the waitress, who also throws in some change to cover Frasier’s meal. And Frasier realizes that his idea of what makes Christmas special and meaningful wasn’t quite right. It’s not the traditions and trappings of Christmas that make it worth celebrating. It’s not the satisfaction of seeing family and friends, seeing children unwrap special gifts, seeing Christmas plays or films or concerts. It’s that people – for one day or even a whole month – are willing to think about others more than they think about themselves.

Christmas isn’t about getting what we want. It’s about giving others what they need. And if even a handful of people – whether they’re rich or poor, ugly or pretty, influential or unknown – can reach into their hearts and souls to show someone else that unconditional love and compassion, Christmas will be sure to come, year after year after year.

I hope your Christmas is just as special.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Find more reviews of “Frasier Season 1” at amazon.com!

by Randall Allen Dunn

It’d be so nice to look out the window

And see the leaves on the trees begin to show.

The birds would congregate and sing

A song of birth, a song of newer things.

The wind would calm and the sun would shine.

I’d go outside and I’d squint my eyes.

But for now, I will simply just withdraw.

Sit here and wish for this world to thaw.

I’m starting to understand how some people can get so consumed with Christmas “busy-ness” that all of their holiday fun gets swallowed up in work. This is one of the busiest times in my life, and definitely the busiest Christmas I’ve had in years.

I started up a new Advanced Creative Writing Class focusing on Genre Studies – which means I have to actually study each of those genres myself to adequately instruct others on how to write for them, before creating the actual lessons. I’ve also started teaching a condensed version of the Beginner’s Creative Writing Class at a local library – which means I have to take time to condense it – cutting the regular lessons in half – before I can present them.

Meanwhile, Nicki is caring for up to six children at a time – and only two of them live with us! She’s also been leading and coordinating our church’s Sunday school program, scheduling adult teachers and filling in wherever needed, while finding curriculum and developing new plans to improve the overall program. On top of that, she’s been making her famous fudge to sell for the holidays, so we’ve been arranging a party for people to sample fudge, while Nicki keeps baking pans of fudge and filling orders.

We’re tired.

When February rolls around, I’ll roll my eyes.

Turn a cold shoulder to these even colder skies.

And by the fire, my heart, it heaves a sigh

For the green grass waiting on the other side.

Most nights, we’ve gotten to bed sometime after 11pm and gotten up by at least 6:30 when the kids wake up. If we’re lucky, we can wake up before they do and have time to make a pot of coffee first.

It sounds like I’m complaining, but I’m actually having a lot of fun, despite being tired from creating nine advanced lessons, helping Nicki guard six kids, hanging four strings of Christmas lights, teaching three classes, helping Nicki prepare desserts for two December weddings, and shopping for a partridge in a pear tree just to top it all off. I never expected the month of Christmas to be as hectic as this one has become. It’s easy to see how some people find little reason to celebrate Christmas. It can seem like nothing but work, work, work to make some bratty kids happy for a few hours, before cleaning up the mess and returning to our slightly less chaotic routines. Why would anyone be excited about that?

I know I wouldn’t. Which is why I never let the “busy-ness” of Christmas crowd out Christmas itself.

It’s always winter, but never Christmas.

It seems this curse just can’t be lifted.

Yet in the midst of all this ice and snow,

Our hearts stay warm, ‘cause they are filled with hope.

I got to bed past midnight last night. This morning, I woke up around six o’clock and went downstairs while my family slept. I spent time in prayer, thanking God for his friendship and for his peace. I read my Bible, too, but I mainly felt that I needed to take time this morning to just thank God for who he is and what he’s done in my life. What he’s still doing in my life.

Even in a year when I’ve gotten so busy that Christmas almost seems like just another item added to my to-do list, I make time to relax, and experience the peace and joy of this season. Of knowing that I’m loved and appreciated by family and friends. That I have a roof over my head and food in my stomach. That I have a role and purpose in life, to encourage and inspire others to be the best people they can be. And that Someone loved me enough to come to this place where I live, live a life like mine, die to receive the punishment I deserved, and live again to put this peace in my heart. I refuse to let the busy-ness of Christmas rob me of this quiet joy every December.

And everything, it changed overnight.

This dying world, you brought it back to life.

And deep inside, I felt things

Shifting, everything was melting away.

And you gave us the most beautiful of days.

Why let the standard holiday busy-ness turn you into a Christmas cynic, failing to recognize the peace this season brings? Take time amid your hectic schedule for moments of quiet reflection, or you’ll miss the whole Christmas season. The tree, the gifts, the lights, the holiday movies – they’re all meaningless if you have no peace and joy in your heart.

If you’ve got too much on your plate this year, consider cutting back on some of it. In recent years, Nicki and I learned to let go of some things that we once considered essential for Christmas. When one of our beloved traditions or activities started to become a burden, we decided it wasn’t worth stressing over. Why not have one less party, one less project, one less pageant, one less program, one less perfect holiday tradition on your already busy schedule? Removing some of those extra activities won’t kill your Christmas spirit, believe me.

In fact, it might help you get your Christmas back.

Don’t let anything – even if it looks like Christmas – rob you of the real gift this season brings us.

Find more reviews of “Let It Snow, Baby, Let It Reindeer” at amazon.com!

by Randall Allen Dunn

It’s easy to take people for granted. To decide that we do a lot more for our friends and family than they ever do for us. After all, without us, where would they be?

When we start thinking this way, we should take time to consider where we might be without them.

Shawn Spencer (James Roday), on “psych”, might be television’s most irresponsible detective. He’s also one of the most gifted. His skills of observation, deduction and instinct are so formidable that the police initially thought he had inside knowledge of crimes. The only way Shawn could avoid jail time was by pretending to be a psychic, which results in landing him a consulting job with the department.

His act would never work without the help of his partner, Burton “Gus” Guster (Dulé Hill), whose vast knowledge of medicine, technology and other specialized fields helps fill in the significant gaps in Shawn’s own knowledge. Shawn also gets information and direction from his father, Henry (Corbin Bernsen), a former police officer who now oversees Shawn’s cases. He also has the moral support of Chief Vick (Kirsten Nelson) and his girlfriend, Juliet (Maggie Lawson), who believe in his psychic abilities, although Shawn’s rival, Head Detective Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), would rather do without Shawn’s intrusive help.

After Shawn and Gus interrupt a well-planned police sting, no one is on Shawn’s side anymore. They’ve finally had enough of his antics and his ego. Shawn feels they’re overreacting, failing to appreciate all he’s done for them, and how much they need his skills.

Shawn retires to his office and falls asleep, dreaming that Tony Cox from “Bad Santa” has appeared to show him the error of his ways. Tony plans to show Shawn what life would be like for his friends if he had never returned to Santa Barbara.

Shawn first sees his father as a lonely slob shut in his home, eating cereal from the box as he sits on his couch in his underwear. Tony insists that Shawn is imagining this, because his father wouldn’t really be that bad off without Shawn around.

Enjoying the fact that he can control some aspects of his dream, Shawn asks to view Gus’ life as a 1980’s sitcom. He sits in a studio audience watching “Willin’ with Da Gusters”, a lame show that makes Gus look foolish, while showing him weighed down by an abusive wife and stepson. “You would do that to your boy?” Tony asks.

Shawn starts to realize that this is the way he normally treats Gus, making a cheap joke of his best friend instead of appreciating his invaluable partnership.

He sees Chief Vick and Lassiter at the police station, ordering the officers around like Gestapo. He can’t help laughing at how ridiculous Lassiter looks. “Well, at least they respect him,” Shawn decides, recognizing that he should do the same.

He then sees Juliet as a T.J. Hooker-style cop in Miami, throwing herself into dangerous situations with no one to back her up when she needs real help.

Shawn realizes that his friends need more than his pretend-psychic insights. They need his respect and support.

He also realizes that he needs all of them, just as much as they need him … if not more.

When he wakes up, he’s figured out the missing pieces of the crime that had puzzled him. But to solve it, he’ll need help. From everyone. Everyone that he routinely mistreated.

He seeks out Gus and the others, making his apologies for his poor treatment of them. He asks each one for a second chance and for their help. His sincere turnaround even wins over Lassiter, who confesses, “Look, this lack of animosity is kind of freaking me out right now.”

With his friends’ help, Shawn is able to expose a slumlord’s corruption and stop a bomb from blowing up a tenement building. Knowing that he could never have done any of it without them.

If you’ve taken some of your loved ones for granted, use this holiday time to make things right with them. Show them how much you truly appreciate them being in your life, recognizing how much you need each of them.

It’s easy to find fault with others, and easiest to find fault with the ones that are closest to us. But consider how easy it is for them to also find fault with you. It might help you better appreciate your friends and family for sticking with you all these years.

Find more reviews of “psych Season 5” at amazon.com!

by Randall Allen Dunn

I had always assumed that most people wanted to celebrate Christmas. Sure, there were people who hated the holidays, seeing them as nothing more than a burden, finding no joy in anything that happened throughout the season. But those were typically bitter people, full of cynicism and spite, who never expected anything good to come of any occasion.

So I was stunned to hear many people talking about Christmas with apathy or even antagonism. It seemed like a lot of people would be happy for the holidays to simply be over, so that they wouldn’t have so much work and pressure, with all the holiday trappings that interfere with their normal lives.

Frankly, I don’t get that.

I don’t understand how a celebration of hope, joy and love can become a burden to people. Whether or not you believe in God, why would anyone hate the thought of having a party to celebrate life?

Maybe some people haven’t found much in life that’s worth celebrating yet. And even at Christmastime – with the best opportunity for finding such things – they’ve given up the search.

One such person would probably be Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum), the young billionaire industrialist on the TV series, “Smallville”. Viewers know that Lex will one day become Superman’s greatest nemesis, but he wasn’t born evil, despite the emotional and mental abuse he received from his father. In one episode, “Lexmas”, Lex has a big choice to make at Christmastime, as he prepares to run for a senate seat. An associate assures Lex he can create a rumor that will remove his opponent, Jonathan Kent, from the race. But Lex is uncertain whether he’s willing to destroy the father of his best friend, Clark.

As he decides what to do, he is shot by two muggers, and falls into a dream-state while doctors work to revive him. In his dream world, he is married to Lana Lang (Kristen Kreuk), living a middle-class life with a young son, a minivan with a complicated car seat, and a new baby daughter on the way. From conversations with Lana and others, Lex gradually learns that it has been seven years since the shooting, and that he lost his inheritance after forfeiting the senate race.

More important, he finds that he is respected and admired by everyone around him. Not only his wife, Lana, but also Clark (Tom Welling), Chloe (Allison Mack), and other friends and associates who had always considered him somewhat suspect. For the first time in his life, Lex is completely trusted by those around him. Even Senator Jonathan Kent (John Schneider), who had never trusted Lex, tells him, “I never thought I would say this, Lex, but I couldn’t be prouder of you if you were my own son.” He makes this statement as he reveals privately to Lex that he has been chosen to receive the award for Humanitarian of the Year.

Lex had bought a big Christmas tree that day, explaining to Lana that his father had forbidden the celebration of Christmas in their home after Lex’s mother died. For him, a big tree represented all the Christmases he had missed when he was growing up.

Later, after everyone toasts his achievement at the Kents’ Christmas party, Lex decides that this has been the happiest day of his life. The spirit of his mother appears, telling him that this isn’t merely a dream, but it’s something he can have, if he makes the right choices.

When Lana has complications in childbirth and is near death, Lex has no choice but to seek out his father, Lionel (Jonathan Glover), to fly her to a specialist. But Lionel insists that Lex chose to live a middle-class life, without the money and power he should have pursued, and must now pay the consequence of his choice.

When Lex confronts the spirit of his mother, asking if this is the life he should choose, in which all of his loved ones die, she assures him that this is, in fact, life.

And it is. Like Lex, we can let fear drive us to believe that we need to control the circumstances of life, to force life to meet us on our terms. In such a life, there would be no poverty, no deaths, no arguments, and no disappointments. No pain of any kind.

But life without pain isn’t actually life. That sort of life is nothing more than a dream, from someone who isn’t actually experiencing the struggle of life, and the joy that comes with it. We can’t make our family love us, or keep our friends from leaving us. We can’t insure ourselves against the threat of job loss, demolished homes, or crippling injuries. We can’t make life favor us. We can only choose to live life, with whatever it throws at us, and whatever it gives us to sustain ourselves, day by day.

Surviving the injury, Lex wakes up in the present time, and makes his choice: to live happily ever after. But in order to live that way, he decides that he will need all the money and power he can acquire. So he tells his business associate to go ahead and discredit Jonathan Kent to knock him out of the senate race, as the spirit of Lex’s mother looks on with sadness.

Like everyone else, Lex decides what to do with Christmas, and what to do with his life. And like many people, he chooses poorly. There’s nothing wrong with pursuing money and power, except when it becomes valued more than people. Even more than the people that could be their best friends and supporters.

The problem is that Lex, like many of us, is scared. Scared that if he takes a risk to secure joy for himself, he’ll be disappointed. So he deludes himself into thinking he can prevent such pain, by providing himself with wealth and position, trusting it will also bring him love and joy.

It won’t.

Christmas is a time of hope, and hope isn’t for cowards. It’s believing for joy in the midst of pain. For provision in a time of poverty. For forgiveness from those you have hurt. For a second chance from those you have betrayed. Even a super-villain in the making can find a joyful life, if that’s what he really wants.

Because in the end, Christmas is a choice.

Just like peace.

Find more reviews of “Smallville Season 5″ at amazon.com!