Growing up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I didn't have much exposure to the holidays as a child. I never knew the joy of opening up a wrapped present. I never got to see a Christmas tree up close, in all of it's glory. I never heard any holiday song enough to learn the words to it. I didn't want to....except one.
I was very sheltered as a child. My parents tried to "protect" me from the dangers of this "worldly system of things" (yes, that was the language that was used in the house). What they failed to realize, was that you can't control what is being fed into your childrens' brains outside your home. You cannot control the music being played at the grocery store. You can't control what they play at Walmart or Sears.
As I said, for the most part it had no effect on me. I really had no idea what I was missing out on. But when I heard that raspy voice coming over the loud speaker, I knew that there was something important that I was missing out on. That one song - those three minutes - convinced me that Christmas didn't have to be a religious holiday. It was a time to spend with family and friends. I've never forgotten that.
This was the first, and to my recollection, only Christmas song I learned by heart. It gives me a warm feeling inside every time I hear it, as I hope it does you.
"And so, I'm offering this simple phrase...
to kids from one to ninety two....
although it's been said many times many ways....
Merry Christmas to you....."
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