MERRY CHRISTMAS?? OF COURSE

Hampton Union 12-21-07

By Ron Dupuis
Every year at about this time, no matter what publication is carrying the IMHO column, the subject matter is usually about pointy headed PC’ers who manage to tick me off with their politically correct greetings. The end result is a column filled with deep seeded resentment for these dolts whose only mission in their empty lives seems to be aggravating me. Not this year.

The Christmas season is moving along quite nicely this year for the Dupuis family. The CHRISTMAS TREE is up and decorated. It’s not the holiday tree, or the Yule tree, or even the winter festival tree. In the Dupuis home it’s the CHRISTMAS TREE, and nothing less.

(Authors note; for years it was tradition in our family to go to a tree farm and find the most beautiful evergreen appropriate for our needs, harvest it, and drag in home for further use. Trees are a crop that should be planted, managed, and harvested, like any other crop. For the past few years we have switched to a silk artificial tree. Not because of any nonsense Al Gore has claimed, but simply because it is a lot cheaper and easier to maintain.)

The neighborhood CHRISTMAS party was a huge success adding to our family’s ongoing holiday happiness. This year instead of crowding into one house and drinking eggnog while discussing everything from children, to lawn care, and eventually politics, the Grandview Terrace Christmas Committee decided to do a Christmas Tour. It was sort of a traveling party with five different homes and five different holiday staples. I felt it was great because just when the political discussions were about to get a little heated, we had to put on coats and hat and walk to the next host family. The festivities were capped off with about thirty of us singing carols at the front door of one particular family who because of poor health could not get out. A true neighborhood Christmas.

The ordeal of Christmas shopping has become more of a bonding experience with my thirteen year old daughter. The only gift I am required to purchases is one for my wife and with the wisdom of a young female at my side I’m more secure and less of a confused, disorientated husband searching for the perfect gift, for the perfect women. Of course before entering the mall I have to explain to my sometime self centered offspring all the reasons why Mom does not need a Hollister hoodie or an Abercrombie and Fitch vest.

The Christmas dinner plans have been made and for some strange reason instead of me preparing the main meal, my wife has decided that this year the task will be all hers. Visions of sleeping late were quickly thwarted when it was announced that my responsibility would be the traditional early morning breakfast.

So much for sleeping in.

For the sake of repeating my self “the Christmas season is moving along quite nicely for the Dupuis family this year.” There is no reason for me to issue my yearly fatwa calling for a jihad against all you pointy headed PC’ers. You may wish me “Happy Holidays” and I’ll just smile. You may wish me a “Seasons Greetings” and again, I’ll just smile. In fact, you may wish me anything you feel is Politically Correct, and I will just smile.

Smile and, of course, wish you and all your PC friends, and anyone else who happens to be within the sound of my voice at the time a very, very MERRY CHRISTMAS.

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!!

Ron Dupuis is a long time New Hampshire resident, a former State Representative, and a freelance writer. His e-mail is drcdupuis@comcast.net. His web site may be viewed at www.imho-nh.blogspot.com