Christmas: Then and Now
It’s funny how Christmas time seems to evoke all sorts of nostalgia. Even in our busy, modern lives, there is a category of songs, cards, gift-wrap, decorations and so much more, that all have that Ye Olde Timey Feel. I, for one, have never roasted chestnuts on an open fire, nor have I rode in a one-horse open sleigh, nor have I ever encountered the sound of silver bells on any street corner. Maybe I’m just in the wrong part of town?
My own Christmas journey covers the whole spectrum, from Christmas Enthusiast to Christmas Scrooge.As a kid, I was definitely an enthusiast. I was convinced I saw reindeer hoof prints on our front lawn. I was awed that Santa Claus knew me so well that he selected a blush/lipstick combo pack that perfectly suited my skin tone, and one that was vastly different yet perfectly matched my sister’s skin tone.
Work Christmas Party Attire
(less humiliating than my childhood elf costume)
Even after the fairytale was uncloaked for what it really was, my Christmas zeal remained unquenched. I sewed my own elf costume one year. It involved green overall shorts (complete with an operational Velcro “trap door”), a white blouse with puffy sleeves and a sprig of holly at the neck. I accessorized with mint green airplane slippers (free back then), adorned with a jingly bell at the toe, and on my head I wore a red tam to which I fastened a pompom of some description. It was a sight to behold – and all for the purpose of looking the part when I distributed the presents from under the tree to my family.
It’s a wonder I didn’t burn the house down with my festive fervor. I made my bedroom into a Christmas wonderland. I didn’t realize I shouldn’t use the red outdoor floodlight (that I bought at a garage sale for $5) inside the house. Nor did it dawn on me that shrouding my bedside lamp light bulb with green semi-transparent plastic streamers (wisely not quite touching the bulb) might not have been the smartest decorating technique. I won’t even get into the candles and other paraphernalia! I was the one who doggedly petitioned my parents to allow us to put up outdoor lights. They finally caved in by the third year of my pleas, so I was more than delighted to brave the cold weather and meticulously dress our Yew trees with glorious white lights. I relished gift wrapping and eagerly helped with whatever my mom needed me to wrap. I even gift wrapped bars of soap (one per family member) just so I could create dazzling masterpieces with the wrappings. One bar became a dragonfly, another a swan, and so on. I wish I had pictures. I wrapped up a tall CD rack for my sister so that it looked like a little robot.
In my college days, I went through a bit of a dark phase. All the decorating seemed such a pointless labour. I was fed up with the commercialism of it all. I didn’t (and still don’t) believe that Jesus Christ was actually born on what our calendars call December 25th. Born, yes. On that date, no. All the fuss seemed to totally distract from the reason for the season. The decorations lay idle those years.
Now, to my great delight, for the first time ever, I find myself celebrating the season with a jovial man who became my husband earlier this year. Wouldn’t you know it - he is a Christmas fanatic! The carols begin as soon as possible. The holiday movies are a staple each year. He delight in the quest for the perfect gift. Lights make him happy. He’s helping me recapture some of that simple Christmas joy.
My passion for Christmas hasn’t been rekindled to the extent of my childhood days (which is probably best for everyone’s safety), but I am endeavoring to be in a balanced place: Enjoying the good, sifting out the bad, and choosing to find joy in whatever comes. I know it’s a painfully lonely time of year for some. Endless streams of propaganda talk about the very things they lack, only to exacerbate the loneliness. I want to be mindful of the struggle that this season is for some, not rubbing their noses in my zeal, but hopefully coming alongside and offering some happiness, be it ever so small.
So, have yourself a merry [little or big, loud or quiet, busy or peaceful] Christmas. Hopefully you can choose to live joyfully and share that joy with others, not just on December 25th, but every day.
