jolly?
I think I watched the most depressing 10 o'clock news ever last night. Stuff about the Queen's butler being a paedophile, the parents of the little boy shot in Liverpool talking about wanting their son's killer locked up forever, the war in Afghanistan, the credit crunch destroying businesses (but providing excellent bargains for shoppers, I wish I had some money now!): on and on it went, and I began to think if there was such a thing as the "Spirit of Christmas", and if there is, where has it gone?
What is it that defines Christmas in England? If you're optimistic, it's the idyllic, blurry around the edges scene of a family gathered around the Christmas tree, opening presents, laughing together, the fire roaring in the corner, a full dinner on the table steaming away. Perhaps if you're pessimistic, it's spending a whole day with your dysfunctional family, trying so very hard not to cause an argument accidentally, opening presents you didn't want and seeing their faces when they open theirs and you realise it's not what they wanted either. The sight of hundreds of shoppers buying presents with money they don't have for people who won't want them anyway - extreme amounts of money changing hands, all for what cause?
Perhaps if you're realistic you'd say it's a mixture of all these things. I know there are thousands, no, millions who will spent this Christmas either poor, alone, depressed, sick, or a mixture of all these things and more besides. Possibly billions. Makes me realise how amazing it is that I have a family, incredible food and gifts to enjoy on Thursday. I used to be quite pessimistic about Christmas: it was just a sham, a commercial festival of the high street, wasting money which could go to better use. Of families temporarily attempting to cover over the cracks in their foundations to enjoy just one day together, but invariably failing to some degree. Of the rich in this world having a great time and forgetting those less fortunate.
It still is all of these things, and it used to frustrate me: how can it change? When will we realise the folly of our ways (perhaps the credit crunch isn't such a bad thing after all, if it changes the way we spend and invest)? It's only relatively recently that I've truly learnt that Christmas is the day when the only hope for real change in this world, came into the world. When the origin of lasting transformation descended into the darkness, and made a stand for all that is good. Why did he bother? The kids in the nativity play at my church will say tomorrow (if the real thing follows the dress rehearsal) - because he loves us, that's why!
This I would suggest is the Spirit of Christmas - the hope of change. Jesus coming into the world changed everything - for Mary and Joseph, for the wise men, for the shepherds, even the innkeeper who wouldn't make room for the birth of the King of the world. But the buck stops with us now, all those who hold to Him - we hold the key to change, to seeing all those depressing news stories become stories of hope, peace, joy, reconciliation and love. Perhaps (in a hippy kind of way), WE are the Spirit of Christmas, or at least that if lives inside of us.
Here's a poem I just found:
The spirit of Christmas is often found
In things that we can see
A street of gold and silver
A sparkling Christmas tree.
It’s found in quiet serenity
Of freshly fallen snow
In lights upon the river
A candles’ gentle glow.
It’s found in pretty presents
And treasures of delight
In stories told of Christmas’ past
On cold and wintry nights.
It’s found in Yuletide carolers
Who stand out in the street
And spread good cheer and tidings
To everyone they meet.
It’s found in bustling cities
As choirs get up to sing
In sleepy little villages
Where lonely church bells ring.
It’s found within a beggar’s heart
Who kindly takes the time
To help a cold and hungry child
By sharing his last dime.
It’s found within the prisons walls
And temples made of stone
It’s found within the orphanages
And in the nursing homes.
It’s found within the wise men
Who brought gifts from far away
And the eastern star that led them
To the stable where He lay.
It’s found within the Spirit
This gift from up above
It’s filled with pure salvation
And wrapped in His sweet love.
It’s even found in old St. Nick
As he kneels down to pray
To Jesus, Blessed Redeemer
Who was born on Christmas day
