Dear Feelings of Christmas
Something more than can fit in a box
In dark times, and in the cold of the winter, I write to you, feelings of Christmas, for you breathe light. A refreshing breeze of light.
Yes, you are more abstract than such Christmas delights as carols, gifts, or hot chocolate by the fire. Grasping you is like catching frosted breath. But that does not mean you are not real.
And what do you feel like? To me it’s joy. A feeling of warmth in times of cold. A child’s excitement and also ultimately, of something very special, which later in this letter I will reveal.
Everyone’s feelings about Christmas may be different. And sparked by different things. And when does it arrive? The week of Christmas? The start of the month? Heavens, you can probably spot those filled with the feeling of Christmas wrapped in ugly festive wear from November.
Maybe what I talk about is the spirit of Christmas, but I hasten to not become too theological, as much as my faith does continue to grow.
But is it real? After all, do people not say they do not feel ‘ Christmassy?’ or it does not feel like Christmas? Maybe it is more tangible in its absence, and so too, when a loved one fades from your life.
And maybe that’s also what the feeling of Christmas is. It’s a form of love. Distilled in candy canes and carols by candlelight, not to mention a hug.
That’s what Christmas should be about. The love between friends and family, and the generosity between strangers. All fuelled and put forth by that all-powerful, mysterious feeling of Christmas.
And that, I feel, is true.
Yours festively,
Stefan
