Creative Christmas
Finding Reason in the (silly) Season
Whatever you believe or feel about Christmas, it has become a universal celebration. Unless you live in a nation that is particularly strictly religious (other-than-Christian), your life will, in some way, be touched by Christmas. That touch may leave you feeling good, bad, or indifferent, but whatever your feelings, Christmas happens.
Before I go any further, let me set your minds at ease. I’m not going to bible-bash you, try to sell you on the “magic of Christmas”, or call you a grinch for wishing it was New Year already. Nor am I going to hate on Christmas. In fact, the only reason I’m focusing on Christmas, and not Chanukka, Kwanzaa, or any other festive/religious celebration, is that I’m writing about what I know.
I grew up Christian, both in the general, population-profiling sense, and in the more specific sense. I was a PK — preacher’s kid — my father was a Baptist minister. Try not to hold that against me. My mother, in spite of the fact that Christmas in South Africa, falls in the middle of summer, embraced all the more classical, northern, cold-weather, Christmas traditions.
So, you could say that my knowledge and experience of Christmas is both traditional and theological.
However, I’m not planning on hitting you over the head with either tradition, or theology. Well … not much anyhow.
I must admit that I’m not really a fan of Christmas as it is generally celebrated in our modern age. The festive season no longer even pretends to be about joy and goodwill to all (hu)mankind. Rather, statistically speaking, Christmas now, is mainly about depression, anxiety, overspending, family pressures, drunkenness, broken relationships, and even death.
Retailers, this year, will once again use Christmas as an excuse to goad us into spending more money than we can afford. Families will feel pressured to gather together all their fears, anxieties, and insecurities — social, financial, relational, and personal. This explosive blend, will be mixed in a highly pressurised environment of familial expectation, disappointment, alcohol, financial crises, over-eating, and pressure to “be festive”.
At the other end of the spectrum, there are the people who are alone over Christmas. There are far too many reasons why this may be so. Maybe, they’re battling to make friends in a “new” environment, or because a relationship ended, or a loved one died. Maybe, they have no family — or none close enough (emotionally or physically), to spend Christmas with.
Suicide and self-harm have become far too common in our every-day world, but Christmas — the festive season — still manages to break all records for suicides, drug overdoses, and the many other, lonely cries of pain.
No doubt, this year, as in previous years, someone will post stories of “Christmas miracles” on social media. I grew up hearing about the Christmas Truce, during the First World War. (yes, I know there are serious questions about this story) I’m old enough to remember (1970s) Christmas cease-fires in the Middle East, to enable pilgrims to celebrate in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. (not that they were always entirely successful) These outward expressions of Christmas have, unfortunately (for all their flaws), become merely the stuff of legend.
Okay, no matter how it may seem so far, my purpose is not to promote further Festive Season depression. Really it’s not.
So, what is my purpose?
Whether you identify as Christian, atheist, Jewish, agnostic, scientist, Buddhist, some other religion, or lack of religion —
Whether you love Christmas, hate it, or couldn’t care either way —
Whether you view the Christmas story as a fairy tale, a wisdom story, or historically accurate, gospel truth (that pun is so obviously intended), here’s the thing.
The story of the first Christmas — of Jesus’ birth — contains far too much value, in this and any other age, to be merely dismissed or ignored out of hand.
Here’s a, by no means comprehensive, list of commonalities to be found within our modern context :
- The entire Christmas story plays out in the context of a people and land, subjugated and controlled by a conquering empire.
Time to face reality. You, the reader, are either a citizen of a conquering nation, or of a conquered/colonised nation. That conquest may be military, economic, or social — it may be recent, current, or historical — but it exists. - The Christmas story begins with a teenage pregnancy. However, the story-arc is somewhat unexpected. Teenage-Mary’s courage is a massive highlight, leading, without apparent question or drama, directly to her family’s wholehearted acceptance of her and her pregnancy.
I’ll just leave that right there for your consideration. - This is followed by the truly impressive grace, trust, and love in action, shown by a good man — Joseph — Mary’s fiancée.
I believe this may be one of the most understated, and oft-ignored aspects of the Christmas story — especially for men. - What about the conqueror-enforced journey, in spite of Mary’s advanced pregnancy? The purpose of the journey — a census — yet another means for exerting control over a population.
Sound familiar? In our case, it may not be a census, but rather, radical, financial cutbacks in care for those who need it most, or increased taxes for low-income earners, with tax-breaks for the rich. Wherever you live, I’m sure those in power over you have their own methods. - Then there is the uncaring, possibly harried, probably greedy innkeeper, who had to be pressured into providing even animal-worthy accommodation for a very pregnant woman.
All too recognisable in our modern, money-centred world. Even at Christmas, the motto of most remains — “You deserve only what you can afford”. Was it Joseph & Mary’s probably obvious lack of wealth that prompted the innkeeper to see them as “less than human”, and worthy only of what he would provide for an animal? I know many people today — and so do you, who’d rescue a stray dog without thinking twice, yet turn their backs on a homeless person in need. - What about the misuse of power by an insecure, politically appointed (by the Romans) “king” — Herod?
As easy as it may be, I won’t point a finger at any one nation, politician, government, or ruler in our modern world. Wherever you live, it is safe to say that those in power, to one degree or another, are misusing their power. - Another thing usually left out of the “fluffy” version of the Christmas story, was our insecure politician, Herod’s murder of practically a whole generation of baby boys — all because he felt politically insecure.
Based on what our current crop of politicians (in any nation) have already shown themselves willing to do, I wouldn’t put this past any of them — if they thought it would aid their cause, and they could get away with it. - Finally, because of this dangerous political situation, the already impoverished, displaced, embattled little family become refugees — fleeing their occupied homeland, and the threat of death, in an attempt to find safety in a strange land.
As of December 2015 (2-years ago — the most recent figures I could find), there were an estimated 65.3-million refugees, wandering the face of our world. That number increased by 5-million in the previous year (2014). I think it is therefore, quite safe to say that there are currently, at least, an estimated 75-million refugees this Christmas — 2017. In other words, approximately one person in every hundred people, is a refugee. Need I say anything more?
Teenage pregnancy, abuse of power, insecure politicians, capitalist greed, people without homes, powerful nations taking advantage of the less powerful, and refugees.
Still think this story doesn’t apply to you — or to all of us, whoever we are, in this modern age?
Whatever you may think of the historical veracity, or spiritual meaning of the storied events surrounding Jesus’ birth, you cannot ignore or deny the sharp-edged, enduring truths of the story itself. Neither can we claim greater morals, ethics, maturity, or “civilisation” than those portrayed in the story.
So, if those are the “negative” similarities between the Christmas story and our modern day world, what positives can we take from this story?
- Firstly, there is the courage of a pregnant teen, and unquestioning acceptance by her family.
- Then, there is the grace, love and acceptance shown her by her fiancée, in spite of the fact that he knew he was not the father.
- What about courage in the face of hardship and danger, shown by this displaced couple, even when they were forced into exile due to the very real threat of political violence.
Christmas miracles may, for the most part, have become mere, mythological beasts in this day and age, but you and I can change that.
Yes, you read that correctly. You, and I, can be a Christmas miracle for someone — or even more than a single someone.
Here are a few simple suggestions:
- Don’t overspend on yourself and your family this Christmas. Rather, donate to a worthy social project, person, or family. I guarantee we all know at least one person/family battling with unemployment, threatened repossession (of house, car, etc). I can tell you from personal experience, of the massive difference that a relatively small gift, or even shared Christmas meal, can make in someone’s life.
- Give a gift — or even better, many gifts, with no hope of reciprocity. True generosity is giving to those who cannot possibly repay you in any way. Give anonymously. Give generously. Give to those who cannot give back.
- Invite the “waifs and strays” to celebrate Christmas with you and your family. We all know people who will be alone on Christmas day/eve. If you don’t know anyone, you really just aren’t paying attention, or asking the right questions. Feeding one, two, or a few more won’t break you, and I guarantee, will bless you and them.
- How about the possibly more radical-feeling step of seeking out someone who may be experiencing rejection by society or family? It might be that pregnant teen at your kid’s school, the LGBTQ+ person who used to attend your church, someone battling with addiction, or even a refugee family. If you don’t know anyone personally (unlikely, but possible), then serve lunch in a homeless shelter, or contact a children’s home, or a non-profit that helps refugees. The story of Christmas clearly tells us that we don’t have to embrace someone’s faults or lifestyle in order to embrace them.
Change the focus of your Christmas from helping yourself, to helping someone else — whether in one of the ways I’ve suggested, or in some other way.
The choice is yours and mine. In our Christmas story, we can choose to be an oppressor — Romans, Herod, innkeeper — or we can choose to be a hero who stands with and for those who are in any way, impoverished, alone, abused, endangered, minimised, or oppressed.
Wishing all of you, my readers, old and faithful, newer or first-timers, a very Creative — Merry Christmas — Festive Season — Happy Holiday.
However you choose to celebrate, please share love, blessing, and grace with those around you. Express your creative reason in the season.
