Christmas to all

Behold, another Christmas unfolds.

If you're lucky enough to be reading this editorial while the happy chatter of gift-glutted children mingles with chaos in the kitchen and Uncle Pete's contented snores rising from the couch, put a ribbon on the moment and tuck it away for posterity's sake. In some ways, this is as good as life gets.

What you see, smell, hear and feel today represents one spectacular peak in a mountain range of ups and downs. Respectfully, we remind you that the ham and the tree and the lights and the presents and the pie are all good, but they're not what make Christmas the tastiest entree in the buffet of holidays. The best thing about Christmas is the people you made happy.

It's those little hands reaching up for yours. It's the slow grin on a weathered face across the table from you that has earned every single one of those wrinkles. It's the person down the street you wave to for no reason at all, and the person waves back. It's the guy you see emerge wearily from the woods near NIC or Target or from under a bridge; he has been there before but you didn't see him. Before today, you didn't notice. Before today, you didn't vow to do something to help.

The real magic of Christmas is its ability to turn us inside out, to help us shift a little emphasis away from ourselves and direct it toward others. Then and only then can we do some good.

It's entirely possible that this isn't just the secret of Christmas, but the key to life. That isn't just our opinion, either. It was stated rather eloquently and exemplified magnificently by a child whose birth is celebrated today.