Kent Ninomiya. I’d like to pause and take a moment to reflect on this holiday season. As I get older I gain a greater understanding of the importance of Christmas as a family experience. Young adults tend to discard the ritual of family gatherings and togetherness for independence. However, once new children enter the equation the holiday regains it’s place. Christmas is all about the children and how their faces light up when they open their gifts. That look is the parents’ gift. There are also important lessons in Christmas. Delayed gratification is perhaps the most torturous of the lessons for kids. Waiting to open gifts is both painful and rewarding for them. Gratitude is another lesson. That’s a tough one. With the bounty of gifts before them it’s hard for children to think about others. They just want the presents. It’s the parent’s job to link the two together. It’s not always an easy task. Of course the most important lesson of all is family. The act of doing everything together is what Christmas is all about. So enjoy the holiday everyone! Merry Christmas! Kent Ninomiya.
