A flurry of snowflakes...
When the snow first begins to fall where I live in the
mountains at the 45th Parallel (that’s in October),
I begin to think of Christmas. ...After living all my life in
the lower Pacific region of the United States, I now actually
have real snow for it!
Christmas happens to be my winter tradition - though I grew
up amidst tandem Christmas and Hanukkah celebratory themes,
sometimes mixed in the same household of friends or neighbors.
(And though my first Christmases were spent in the tropics!)
In any case, one soon, as a child in a Christmas-celebrating
household and neighborhood, realizes that there are myriad
ways to celebrate it! Your own family's brand of holiday fun is
likely to differ somewhat, if not substantially, from
neighboring families', often distant relatives' as well. And as one grows, perhaps some of the
other ways - out of appreciation for the charm of so many
traditions - are absorbed into one’s own.
But also as one ages, the charm might fade - or at least, our
appreciation of traditional activities might well become more
passive than active. Might even turn to "Bah!..."
Not to mention that when one isn’t a child, it may become a
lot of work to keep to the traditions. Receiving greeting
cards may be nice (though we may sneer at the ones merely
lettered in gold "The So-and-So Family" - gee, they
didn’t even take the time to jot a note!)... But sending them
can be expensive and laborious (gosh, if only we didn’t have
to take the time to write on every one!). Planning and
putting on a party is a lot of work - and then you have to clean
up, too! Gift-giving can be a significant strain on the budget,
and it’s a pain to always have to keep coming up with new
ideas... And it takes forever to wrap them... It all devolves
onto you... And everyone has so much anyway...
The child that expects holiday fun when winter approaches may
sadly (or grumpily!) turn into something of a Christmas
curmudgeon.
Why participate indeed? When your family drives you crazy,
when those around you are blasé, when you feel like you can’t
afford the time or the money... When you feel like you have
to more than you want to.
Not that I’m in any position to tell you what you ought to
feel or do... But here are some reasons that come to me...
- Fellowship:
"Dictionarily-speaking",
fellowship is companionship; a community of interest; sharing.
...All of interest to most people at various times - usually,
with people of their particular choosing.
But in this special
season that is for many a reminder of that which is behind
fellowship - a desire to have a heart that’s free of negative
feelings toward others, to encompass them in our outlook, to
meld - our enjoyment of fellowship may be broadened to include
situations or people we wouldn’t ordinarily take much pleasure
in. A mellow feeling of having overcome even a natural aversion
to being in company - or to someone in particular - is often a
benefit of holiday season fellowship! ...Yes, we do have
it in us to step aside from our selves and simply enjoy
our fellow woman and man. And doing so can feel pretty good.
- Expressing appreciation of people:
And amid the bustle
of being around strangers or even the fellowship of
acquaintances, how much more do we realize we
appreciate those who we truly value in the particular! And
wish to show them so... Which is surely the basis for all the
seasonal card-sending, feting, and gift-giving (no, the basis
really isn’t commercial - that’s an afterthought).
And of course, the pleasure of a gift known to be pleasurably
received is a bonus!
- Being a part of something:
This is apart from
fellowship (a meeting up with people around you). And though
there’s enjoyment to be had, for some, in joining with
others in a common cause, there’s something more basic to
meeting enjoyably in a communal setting... It’s a feeling of
being integral to a whole.
You get it when you do
anything in true concord with others - singing in harmony,
helping in any number of ways to put on a play, working on a
common project, making a meeting go smoothly, even just
brainstorming! And though I make it sound like there are vast
numbers of such opportunities abounding in our lives, there may
not be for some people; and even when they appear, we may not
take advantage of them. This is where that holiday season
bonhomie comes into play again... Out of a heightened awareness
of our common humanity, we may choose to create or take
advantage of such occasions - and reap the benefits.
- A sense of renewal:
There’s a sense of renewal
inherent in preparing for a yearly event - traditions are
a sort of ritualized renewal (even if we don’t think
consciously about it). At the end of the calendar year, we
might be giving thought to the year past (and maybe to what
New Year’s resolutions we ought to be developing). I think
that the Western Hemisphere’s "dark of the year"
also is a powerful catalyst for metaphors of death, genesis,
and rebirth. I know that the lightening of the days is, for
me, a great inspiration. And, of course, there are religious
traditions of renewal and rejuvenation that are extremely
meaningful to many people at this time of the year.
In a very real way, too,
any heightened awareness of and interest in people brings us a
chance for renewal. ...Renewal or deepening of acquaintances
(taking them to a new level); a renaissance in our outlook on
life; reestablishment of our desire and resolve to relate to
family, friends, co-workers, strangers in a way that we find
more comfortable or estimable.
Whatever level of participation is yours in Christmastime
"holiday-making", there’s the potential for some
real benefits to the spirit. It’s a time when two interesting
(perhaps unusual) beneficial forces tend to be at work: a
relaxation of the cares of everyday life, and a heightened
consciousness of one’s own position in the overall scheme of
things as thoughts turn toward "peace on earth, goodwill
toward men".
Okay, I know that cares don’t really disappear at
Christmastime! And that for some people, it’s a time that
actually signals greater stress or depression; and I don’t
pretend to have the cures for that very personal sort of
affliction. But I do think that sensitively embracing those
people in some way during what may be for them a time of trial
may be at least a partial antidote.
The chances are good that as you touch those about you
"in the Christmas spirit", as it’s often said, you’ll
lift up someone else along the way. (Maybe even those who you
aren’t particularly excited about coming into contact with...)
Rekindling embers, maybe... for others and for
yourself.
