A CHRISTMAS IN HIS HEART!
Jingle Bells and Merry Christmas dear readers! Christmas is a wonderful occasion for many and truly a time to remember the festive joy it brings. Fast forward to meeting loved ones who you may have rarely seen in the past year, hanging colorful lights, decorating the tree with all sorts of ornaments with a beautiful glowing star on top, singing carols of good Christmas cheer, cooking of wonderful recipes including mouth watering desserts and who could forget the key attraction of it all — presents!
But I am sure most people here already knew some of these. But is that all there is to the Christmas spirit? I would believe at the very least a handful of you would bring up the true meaning, which is after all the act of Giving. This is after all, what Santa Claus represents, giving gifts to the wonderful children across the globe. The time of Christmas, initially thought to have originated for remembering the birth of Jesus Christ, symbolizes the act of charity, giving, remembering and upholding good spirits. Nothing too extravagant is needed, even a simple act of giving a homeless man a blanket in a cold winter night is enough to make up what is truly is Christmas.
The lore of Christmas is wild and interesting in different parts of the globe. How the birth of an important figure turned into an occasion of gifts is truly a mystery, but there are some engrossing theories on it. One most popular would be the Saint Nicholas of Myra being the one who instigated the act of gift giving but in reality, it was Martin Luther who propagated the notion as to focus on the interests of children over the venerations of saints. Another would be that of Father Christmas, which would form the basis of Santa Claus but except the fact that he wore green, not red! There are countless stories like this out there, but I won’t dwell too much on that. I want to believe each unique interpretation of the origin of Christmas has its own importance.
Among the current traditions of the world what I found riveting would be the Welsh culture, where the residents of South Wales parade around an undead horse which involves draping a white sheet over a pole with a horse skull and knocking on the front doors of houses, giving the residents a fright of their lives. But the funniest part happens after when the group carrying the effigy sings and the residents have to sing back. It goes on until one side accepts defeat. If it is the residents who have lost, then the group would raid their fridge and pantry for things like beer, bread, cake and more.
Humans love to be part of a social structure where they get to prove their worth to others and be loved and acknowledged. So, the simple act of gathering together with friends and family can be a great impact on those who the past year had been a bit hard on. Christmas time is also an excellent time for mending broken bonds. No matter the crisis, the act of being with each other can put a smile on any one’s face. Forgive grudges and set aside differences to make sure no one you are close with is sad on Christmas. Spreading laughter and joy with your loved ones is, in my opinion, the greatest gift one could ask for.
Christmas being a magical time of the year is also upheld by various events in our history too, like for instance Jingle Bells was the first song played in space or how Christmas truces were popular and widespread along the Western front during the First World War. It consisted of several unofficial ceasefires that involved either side engaging in different events like bartering cigarettes, setting up trees and singing carols. Especially famous one would be the Christmas of 1914 where the English and the Germans walked across the No Man’s Land to exchange alcohol and chocolates with each other, respecting the mood of “Live and Let Live” for Christmas. It is said that not a single shot was fired that night.
So that is basically I had to pen down these for Christmas. A time to be with those you love and time a unwind yourself from the tiring ways of the world. A perfect Christmas is the one you envision it to be you. It can be anything from journeying with your friends to having some warm hot chocolate by a bonfire. Your ideal vision of this festivity is what that matters the most. And to conclude, I would like to remember the words of the famous American author, Richelle E. Goodrich, “Christmas is like candy; it slowly melts in your mouth sweetening every taste bud, making you wish it could last forever.” With that, folks, I shall not prolong any further, It’s time for Christmas joy. I wish you all a very joyful Christmas and a happy New Year.
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