Merry Christmas, even in tough times

To those of you who have read my column over the years, you are probably expecting an interview from somebody at the North Pole. Not this year. This column is for you.

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You, who have been unable to purchase that new game for your child. You, who have had to cut back on quite a bit this Christmas. You, who had to sit down and explain why Santa didn't bring them everything on their list. You, who had to dig into retirement funds in order to give them at least some of the items on their list.

Know what? Children are a lot more resilient than we think. They know what's going on.

This column is for all the fathers who do so much for their children and believe they are letting them down by putting so few gifts under the tree. You, who have considered getting a second job to make ends meet and get back on your feet again. I don't know you, but I think you're carrying a lot on your shoulders, stuff that your family doesn't care about.

So what if you're not able to take them to that ritzy restaurant every Friday evening? Do you truly believe they will stop loving you for something like that? Grill hamburgers outside and make it a family affair. Everyone should have a job, whether it's slicing tomatoes, chopping onions, setting the table or anything else to make a family dinner special. The point is to make every one in your family feel good about themselves.

And mothers, where do I begin? You give 100 percent of yourselves every single day. Whether you're a stay-at-home mom or have a job outside the home, it doesn't matter; you always put your family first.

Boy, how can I begin to tell you how much you mean. Your day begins at the crack of dawn, getting the kids up, feeding them breakfast and getting them out the door just as the bus comes. Then you have to get yourself ready for the day, plan which chores you'll do first or get dressed for that outside job.

Then, you work all day, and when the kids come home, you listen to their adventures at school that day or praise them for getting a B on the test they were sure they were going to flunk. You are super woman. You are the fearless. You are "mom." Need I say more. Your children will love you no matter what's under the tree.

Teenagers, why do you get blamed for everything? It's not right. Somebody's car was keyed? Blame it on the teen living next door. It has to be him, right? After all, he is a teen and that's what they do. Your mailbox was knocked off its pole? Blame the teen living down the street. He has scruffy hair, so he has to be the one. Right?

Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Are you going to have a rough Christmas this year? Probably, but that's not going to make you a bad person. You know you have parents who love you, parents who will do anything to make you smile. You are a good person, and you know it.

All in all, this Christmas might be a little lighter than usual as far as gifts go, but that shouldn't matter as long as you have friends and family with you.

With all my heart, I wish you the merriest Christmas ever.

Pat Fickle is a Martinez resident.