July 25th vs. December 25th

During the Christmas Eve talk and discussion that we attended one of the points that was brought up was that there should be no difference between July 25th and December 25th (or any other day).  I like this idea and have already made attempts to live in this manner by not having an over the top birthday celebration.  The likely initial response to a suggestion like this is why should we "step down" recognition of a special day that comes once a year (birthdays, Christmas, Diwali, etc.).  I would argue that we don't need to "step down" their recognition, but "step up" the recognition of the other days.  Often on special days we bring out our best of everything: clothes, dishes, table linens, etc.  Why save those things for the big days?  We were recently gifted a box of very nice and special incense.  When the time came last night to do a prayer for difficult time in our family I was reluctant to use this incense.  My thought was that well this is good stuff and we shouldn't use it for sad moment.  I was wrong.  The HyWy pointed out to me this is the moment we have to use it, because one thing we have learned over the past year is the impermanence of life.  This lesson brings back so many memories (as I slightly drift off topic) from when I was a kid.  I would go trick or treating for Halloween and then sort out my candy.  After I had found exactly the candies that liked the most I would hide and save them.  I would save them and eat the smallest amount at a time.  The majority of the time the candy would end up being saved until the following Halloween at which point my mom probably found them and threw them away.  Perhaps that will be my New Years Resolution...to "step up" my celebration and embrace everyday as something special.