Our thoughts today are first and foremost with all Americans in uniform serving their country so far from home on this holiday.  It’s a rainy, chilly day here in Chicago, but we’re warm inside, with lots of good food to eat and plenty of places to be and things to do today.  Do not think for even a moment that we do not realize how good we all have it, in comparison to the spartan Christmas we know many in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other hotspots around the world are facing today.  They volunteered for duty so that all of us could enjoy days like Christmas back home, and we want all of them, and their families, to know how much we love and appreciate the service members — whom we may never meet, but whom we send our first holiday wishes to every year. 

We also, on this Christmas Day, ask all of you to not only remember our military today, but to look into your hearts and find forgiveness for anyone who’s wronged you this last year.  We’ll ask you to do this again on New Year’s Day as well, because it’s important.  Life is a short and precious gift.  Every day spent weighted down with pettiness and grudges is a day wasted.  

On this Christmas, we think of all the people we’ve loved who can’t be here today — our grandparents, favorite aunts and uncles, friends lost to accident, disease, and violence.  If they had one more Christmas to walk this Earth, they surely wouldn’t spend it telling someone off or talking about how much they hated anyone.  No, they would instead spend the day calling people up, visiting them, writing them nice emails, and doing everything they can to make sure everyone knew how much they loved them. 

So, we’d love for you to do that in your own lives today.  Send out a nice holiday email to people you care about but don’t talk to much. 

Text everyone in your phone and tell them you’re pulling for them, thinking about them today, and wish them much joy this Christmas. 

Call up people you’re estranged from, especially family, and let them know that despite whatever differences you have, at the end of the day the only thing that matters to you is finding a way to get back on good terms in the new year. 

It always takes someone willing to make the first step, to put themselves out there, for any progress to happen.  2009 was a brutal, ugly, awful year for most of us.  As it draws to a close, and as we have all the joys of Christmas to enjoy today, we hope the spirit of the holidays can mend some broken bridges and can inspire many of you out there to reach out to those you haven’t talked to in a great while — because Christmas is a wonderful chance to do just that. 

The greatest gift you could ever give anyone is your love and support.  The greatest gift you could ever receive is friendship.  All the store bought stuff is nothing.  Just junk.  

We deeply appreciate all of you — and as we enjoy this Christmas in Boystown and no doubt have many adventures we’ll report back soon, know that you are all very much in our thoughts today, as we wish you and your families a great Christmas, as we know so many out there really and truly need it.