Christmas is that
strange and wondrous
segment of the year
where many people celebrate
and jingle bell their way
through a religious festival
for non-religious reasons,
and they know why
and don’t know why.
The season is an anticipated
coming together and affirmation
of family, friends and colleagues,
with parties and drinks
and loss of all those formalities
that are normal and expected
throughout the year,
but now give way just a little,
so that it has often
been called the silly season,
a time of general cheer.
It is the terminus of
what has gone down
in the year (thank God!)
and a time of relief, release,
catching up, kicking back,
and being with those
who mean the most and the least.
But for others it is
the time of imminent
financial and personal strain,
tension and conflict,
and being with people
that are usually remote,
except for this little
patch of time that
obligation creates
and familial ties demand.
Or it is a silent remembering
of a person lost,
making Christmas a
desperate time of grief,
amongst the smiles
and the clinking glasses
of this season’s feign cheers.
It is even a time for
the dull pain of loneliness
for those with nowhere to go
and no one to share
the spirit of the season with.
Nevertheless, we gravitate
to the good and generous
at Christmas, with Santa
and the thrilling squeals of
children who love the gifts
and the giving of this day,
for it is their day to
see all that love can bring
and all that joy can create
in this small pocket
of life’s grace
that celebrates the Christ child.
Indeed, despite all
the bad and terror that
darkens this world,
we affirm all the best
in humankind, not the worst,
affirm the possibility
of being renewed and reinvigorated,
and bring the balm of hope
to the difficulties in life.
And we do all this
among the drinking
and the eating
and the giving
and the listening to carols
that are filled with
“joy to the world” and
other inspiring words which
we sing out of habit
and out of tune.
And even in the
midst of celebration
there is also the
quiet reflection,
the introspection,
and the wondering
about what the year
has brought and
what might have been,
if only, if only.
Then there is shopping,
shopping and more shopping!
Buying attends this season
of frantic pace and
excited gift-seeking
and thinking about
who will be together
on the magical day,
and what we will give
and take, and who
will not be there or even
who we are not looking
forward to see.
Christmas is that
season of ambiguity,
measured in frantic pace,
reflection, working,
buying and not knowing
what to buy,
stopping and going,
travel and visiting,
connection and family,
holiness and generosity,
and the overwhelming
sense of grief for someone
who will not sit down and eat
and smile on this the day
of celebration and tears.
21/12/2016
