It was the holiday travel show of
Europe and Scandinavia and as he
watched he realized what was so
familiar and now seemed out-of-place
demographically to his experience.
There were all the sights and sounds
and people from his background,
his understanding, his experience and
none of the people who had come
to be a part of holiday festivities
in America in recent years.
It was an eye-opener.
He waxed nostalgic
for what had been
but he knew it
could never be again
as an exclusive Christmas.
He thought of the previous Christ-
mas eve in the Southwest suburbs
of Chicago with his Hispanic
relatives by marriage. What fun it
had been to partake of all the food
and festivities.
The Northern Hemisphere
meets and greets the
Southern Hemisphere
and all were of good cheer.
He loves the English carols,
Dickens’ Christmas Carol, A
Wonderful Life, A Christmas
Story and his dad’s Swedish Glug.
He now loves
a Mariachi Christmas with
the spicy flavors, all the
relatives and really good,
blue agave tequila.
Merry Christmas and
Feliz Navidad sung first by
José Feliciano and then
Stevie Wonder, and then
he thought of Andy Williams
singing, It’s the Most Wonderful
Time of the Year, and this year,
it is.