No Christmas for Me

I wished my friends in Taiwan "Merry Christmas" and offered a "Happy Holidays" to the bank teller today, then I realized how meaningless those words are for me. I don't remember the last time we celebrated Christmas. Must have been before 2001 when the family gave itself so completely to fundamentalism. But even before then I don't remember when we last tore open presents and cards around the Christmas tree. I don't even miss it; it just not a part of my life anymore.
So you'd think this is sad, how can an American boy live without the joys of Christmas? It's easy, really. Without the obligatory gift-giving and receiving between all my relations and me, we don't need to go through the Christmas shopping drama clogging the arteries of every mall in America tonight. For queen mum, who needs to justify to her God that she's really not celebrating the holiday, she gives people presents and random acts of kindness anytime during the year. For me, who doesn't really care what God thinks of me right now, holiday greetings, cards and phone calls are reserved for those whom I really care about.
By accepting no gifts, we are free from the bonds of reciprocation. So having no Christmas for me really isn't that bad, but I do miss the beautiful Christmas tree we used to have in Taiwan.
That was so long ago.