The Christmas and New Year holidays are just around the corner, but do we take for granted that they'll always be celebrated? The majority of the people do. We seem to think that Christmas Day will always be happy and beautiful.

The holidays celebrated by the people in unfortunate countries are probably not happy and not as beautiful as they remember them in the past. Could this happen to us? Could the opportunity of celebrating joyous holidays be suddenly taken away before we realize it?

Maybe we should stop and think what would happen if the opportunity was denied.

Maybe the well‑known idea of Santa Claus sliding down the chimney with a sack of gifts would be abolished, or the hanging of stockings and the decoration and setting up of the Christmas tree.

It could be that the exchanging of gifts and the happy, excited faces of loved ones would never be seen again‑or the visiting of relatives and the sending of Christmas cards. Maybe the eating of special holiday dishes wouldn't be allowed‑also the traditional Christmas and New Year's parades or the New Year's football games.

If this were the last holiday season to be spent on earth, we might all plan more carefully. The spirit of Christmas would be present within and would radiate even more happiness during the holidays.