Have you seen National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation recently? If you haven’t, you should. In fact, we should all give it a watch.
We should all strive to look at Christmas like Clark.
Despite challenges and hiccups and stress, he never faltered. He never lost his cool. (With the exception of the light incident.) He never forgot that Christmas is about family and happiness.
We should all be so lucky to have his outlook, his love of family, and his generosity.
If the Christmas stress has gotten to you and the pressure feels like too much, remember Clark. He welcomed everyone, looked for the positive, and refused to let minor (or major) problems ruin his spirit of Christmas.
His Christmas vision wasn’t about perfection. The meal was ruined, the house was crowded, and even his big Christmas surprise was seemingly ruined by work and financial problems.
There were no fancy gifts, no matching decor, and the house was busting at the seams with people.
Do you know what else it was busting at the seams with?
Love. Wonder. Family.
We should all be so blessed.
So tonight, forget about the hope you had of perfectly wrapped presents to mark the space under a color coordinated tree. Forget about the illusion of a perfect Christmas morning.
Instead, focus on the perfect baby being born in Bethlehem. Focus on the family who is perfectly suited for you. Focus on the perfect feeling of love that will radiate from children who will remember the memories more than the gifts.
Tonight, do Christmas like Clark.
Be grateful, water your own grass,
…and drink coffee.