MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND PALS!
YES, IT'S TRUE- ANOTHER CHRISTMAS HAS ROLLED AROUND.
I HOPE EVERY PERSON READING THIS MESSAGE HAS A REALLY GREAT CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. CHRISTMAS IS, AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN, MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR.
I CAN STILL REMEMBER THE THRILL OF GOING TO MURPHY'S DEPARTMENT STORE IN MARYLAND AND SITTING ON SANTA'S LAP WHEN I WAS ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD AND TELLING HIM WHAT I WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS.
I CLEARLY RECALL SPENDING HAPPY CHRISTMAS DAYS AT MY GRANDMA'S WITH MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND COUSINS AND ALL OF US OPENING OUR COOL PRESENTS TOGETHER. SINCE WE WERE ALL JEWISH, MAYBE IT WAS HANNUKAH TO THEM, BUT TO ME IT WAS CHRISTMAS - I'VE ALWAYS LOVED CHRISTMAS AND ALL IT'S TRAPPINGS.
I HOPE YOU GET SOME GOOD PRESENTS AND I HOPE YOU GIVE SOME TOO.
I AM, IN ACTUALITY, AS SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS KNOW, A BIT TIGHT WITH THE DOLLAR. I LOVE MY BOOKS, I LOVE EATING IN NICE RESTAURANTS, I LOVE GOING TO LAS VEGAS, GOING TO DODGER GAMES, IN SHORT, I ENJOY MY MONEY - BUT SPENDING MONEY TO MAKE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE HAPPY IS THE GREATEST JOY THERE IS.
I AM TELLING YOU - THERE JUST IS NO GREATER JOY.
MAKING OTHERS HAPPY IS ONE OF THE SECRETS OF A HAPPY LIFE. THE INCLINATION TO HELP, TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE OTHERS HAPPY, IS ACTUALLY A VERY HUMAN EMOTION. IT IS ACTUALLY THE BEST SIDE OF MAN'S COMPLEX NATURE.
CHRISTMAS IS SYMBOLIC OF THIS BEAUTIFUL INCLINATION, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CHRISTMAS FOR YOU TO DO IT. YOU CAN MAKE ANOTHER PERSON HAPPY 365 DAYS A YEAR. IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE A GIFT.
A FRIENDLY OR SYMPATHETIC EAR WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS IT, A SINCERE COMPLIMENT GIVEN IN ADMIRATION, A PAT ON THE BACK, A SIMPLE "YOU DID A GREAT JOB", APPRECIATING OTHERS, ALLOWING THEM TO "BE THEMSELVES" AND SEEING THE GREATNESS IN EVERYONE AND ANYONE. IT IS REALLY NOT SO HARD TO SEE THE GREATNESS IN OTHERS (IN MOST CASES - I'LL ADMIT IT CAN BE HARD WITH SOME PEOPLE).
WELL, IT'S CHRISTMAS AND TIME TO STEP DOWN OFF MY SOAP BOX. HAVE FUN, ENJOY YOURSELF, BE WITH PEOPLE YOU LOVE, EAT A NICE CHRISTMAS DINNER.
OH YES, I FORGOT TO SAY ONE LAST THING.
I HOPE ON THIS FINE CHRISTMAS DAY YOU ALSO REALIZE WHAT A GREAT PERSON YOU ARE. MAYBE I DON'T KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT I DO KNOW THIS - YOU ARE A UNIQUE AND WONDERFUL MONOPOLY. IN THIS ENTIRE VAST UNIVERSE, THERE IS NO ONE LIKE YOU. THERE NEVER HAS BEEN AND THERE NEVER WILL BE.
YOU ARE WONDERFUL, SPECIAL, AND ONE-OF-A-KIND.
WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT, WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH IT OR NOT, YOU ARE A GREAT, TIMELESS, MAGICAL SPIRIT. YOUR GREATNESS, MY FRIEND, IS GREATER THAN THE SUN, THE MOON, AND THE STARS ALL PUT TOGETHER.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND PALS!!!!
BEST HOLIDAY WISHES, YOUR FRIEND ALWAYS, EDDIE.
