An Outstanding Christmas

By Laura Marie

Deep in the corners of the earth, there was Christmas Cheer and Gloomy Sneer.

They beamed down upon the earth, especially at Christmas time; into the hearts of men, and women, and children. 

The Gloomy Sneer felt lost, alone, distant from others. Miserable and grumpy, and sad. 

The Christmas Cheer felt loved, wanted, close to others. Joyful and happy and glad.

Each person on the earth would feel both cheer and sneer, but often one much stronger than the other.

How each person felt was based on how they felt for the whole of the year before Christmas time; adding up each day, and sometimes the days and years before this Christmas time.

The Gloomy Sneer liked to separate, sadden, and scant. 

While the Christmas Cheer liked to encourage, engage, and enchant.

People would reflect upon how they felt at Christmas time, 

and inspect whether they had cheer or sneer, 

and whether that was fair or glare.

A Christmas Cheer person was ever so satisfied. Sharing and caring, and fairing with grace.

A Gloomy Sneer person was ever so sulky. Saddened and maddened all over the place. 

But they didn’t accept it, they could not understand, 

just why they were gloomy instead of all grand. 

“I’m a nice person. I have been good. 

I’ve got toys and a home, and I’ve done all I could.”

“Yes, but you’re Gloomy. You’ve been sad and alone. 

You keep your heart cautious; keep close to a phone.

When things are uneasy you hide under a rock.

When things get too difficult, you go into shock. 

When things need a challenge, some courage; you fold.

That’s why you feel Gloomy, so now you’ve been told.”

The person with Gloomy Sneer strongly disagreed. 

They said the person with Christmas Cheer was a halfwit indeed.

They went on with their life; the same way, the same creed.

They decided that Christmas had nothing they’d need.

They passed all the blame, all the shame, all the guilt; 

they didn’t own up to what they had built.

The Christmas Cheer person went back to their day, 

continued their life the same cheer, the same way. 

They felt happy to things in their life, talking to other people that were near 

about Christmas Cheer. 

They stayed joyful, they kept their glow on. 

They were not at all offended or affected by the person with Gloomy Sneer telling them they were wrong or to blame. They had security in themselves. They knew it was just the Gloomy Sneer in the other person not wanting to take responsibility.

The person with Gloomy Sneer got grumpy and glum. 

They wanted to scream and call everyone scum. 

They wanted to hit things 

and hurt things 

and hide, 

but mostly they wanted 

to bury their pride. 

“Why can’t I feel better? What did I do? 

It just isn’t true!!!

Why is this so unfair…”

The person with Christmas Cheer “...I’m here to be kind, I’m here to care”

“No this is stupid; I don’t like it at all. 

I just want a nice Christmas, without all this bawl” 

The person with Christmas Cheer said nothing. They just smiled. They just looked at the person with Gloomy Sneer straight in the eyes, softened their gaze, and tilted their head. 

They looked up into the distance at Christmas Cheer, then looked back at the person with Gloomy Sneer and smiled again.

The person with Gloomy Sneer wanted to smile back, but they couldn’t. They frowned. 

They growled. 

They snarled. 

They did not like this situation at all. 

They wanted to yell and scream 

and blame the person with Christmas Cheer, 

but they couldn’t find even one thing to blame them for. 

Not for their parents, 

not for their school, 

not for their toys.

 “I’m not a Grinch, not even an inch. 

I give and I live with nice things and no strings”

The person with Christmas Cheer then replied. “It’s not what you have,

but what’s in your heart,

 that makes you

 or aches you, 

or breaks you apart

We don’t want to ache, we don’t want to break; 

we want to be Cheerful and whole

But with such sadness and pain, again and again, 

it’s a lot to keep finding our goal.

For an outstanding Christmas, one that stands out

You need to realise what Christmas’ about. 

You need to know Christmas, you need to know now

You need to know when, and the why and the how.”

The person with Gloomy Sneer then replied “So how do I do this,

how do I win, 

how do I have a genuine grin? 

How do I get it, how does it come, 

where does this Christmas Cheer even come from?”

“All the corners of the earth, the north and South Pole, along the equator. Up from the roots of Christmas trees, down from the stars, and in all the lights we see throughout Christmas time. 

If you are filled with Christmas Cheer, you can feel Christmas in your heart all through the year. Whenever you think of lights or stars or Christmas tree trimmings. 

A heart full of Christmas Cheer can last the whole of the year. 

Christmas Cheer dwells in everything Christmas, but also in everything Cheerful. 

It is strongest at Christmas time, but it is with us all year round. 

What way do you most receive Christmas Cheer?”

“What do you mean what way?” The person with Gloomy Sneer replied.

“There are 5 ways, and everyone usually has two favourite ways, 

and everyone has their favourite way of receiving the ways that are their favourite. Everyone is different.”

“What are the 5 ways?”

“Hugs, words, time, gifts, and help.”

“Oh”

“Hugs can be big and squishy or small and jiffy, a moment short or a whole night long.

Words are the thoughtful ways of complimenting who we are, personal and precious.

Time is moments spent together, interesting and intimate.

Gifts are considerate gestures of tangible things, held and heartfelt. 

Help is acts of kindness, ways to serve or see the deeper value in a person.

What are your two most favourite ways to receive Christmas Cheer?”

The person with Gloomy Sneer thought for a moment, 

and then another moment, 

and another. 

What did they like the most?

And as they were thinking, they realised that if they were to collect their most favourite ways to receive, then they would like Christmas Cheer just all that much more. 

And so their heart softened, they opened a smidge

They let go of some sadness, they built a small bridge.

And from that day and that hour, from that moment on

They decided they would let, cheer be their song. 

They decided that Christmas was gonna stand out

Outstanding was what Christmas time was about.

By Laura Marie