As we grow up, our lives change and with that our thoughts, dreams and future.However, what remains still the same are those unforgetable moments of our childhood days.What I rememer the best and the most are my childhood Christmases.Therefore,looking back to those memories, I see that my Christmas of today is different from that of my childhood in various ways.
First of all, I grew up in Albania, a country where religion was outlawed;therefore,celebrating Christmas was not easy.Nevertheless, I remember Christmas time as a time of family hapiness.My parents tried to do anything they could to make my Christmas a time of joy, pride, and to embody in me the true meaning of my own religion which was outlawed by the communist government. In contrast, today I am able to celebrate my Christmas freely here in the USA. It gives one a great joy, regardles of their religion, when hearing people saying to each-other "Merry Christmas". In my childhood, there was no Santa Clause or any Christmas decoration of any kind.
While in America or in other parts of the free world, Christmas captures the attention of everyone,in my childhood Albania there was nothing that would remind me of Christmas.Since religion was abolished,there was nothing about Christmas,neither in the media nor in the city streets of my country.The only sing and atmosphere of Christmas during my life in Albania was inside the house because it was highly risky to celebrate it publicly.Also, I remember that I could only exchange Christmas gifts with my family members, relatives and close friends.
Another way that makes my Christmas of today so different from those of my childhood is that I am away from my family and friends. Although I do have everything to make my Christmas the best time of the year, I still miss that simple joy I had when I was with my family. In contrast of my childhood, the Christmas of today seems to go by so quickly that soon is forgotten by the fast pace of my life.
Regardless of the differences in my childhood and today, Christmas will always remain the best time of the year, a time that brings with it happiness, joy and inspiration. In one way or another, Christmas reminds us who we are and serves as a revival of our own human values
Giorgio's space 