Of Glitter and Pinecones
One of these days I'm going to write a book entitled "Keeping Christmas Well". I came to that conclusion during a discussion with my husband recently. We were cleaning up after an evening of celebrating with our children. Christmastide lasts from Advent through Epiphany in our home - so it ain't over yet! In the course of any given day, we speak to many people by phone or in person. The conversations in recent weeks changed in tone from happy, idle, banter about the weather or each other's general well-being to intense stress as relates to Christmas. I am baffled...
I am a reasonably intelligent and worldly person, but I can not understand how people allow themselves to get so bent out of shape over an event that is meant to be the culmination of Peace, Love, Hope and Joy. What is more, I become supremely irritated (I am after all only human) with people who don't 'get' it. People who celebrate the Birth of Jesus, without actually acknowledging that that is the Feast of the Nativity - a Christian holiday - make me more than just a little twitchy. I am annoyed that a religious holiday has been hijacked and abused by commercial entities for their own purposes. I don't deny that there is a need for goods related to the celebration of the holiday, but we have gone beyond the point of turning the Holiday into a novelty occurance - an event that is for most people more about what we wear, how much money we can spend on people we could care less about the rest of the year, and making an impression for the sake of people we know only superficially. Wouldn't it be lovely if we invited interested non-Christians into our homes to experience Christmas-tide as it truly should be?
It's not an unsalvageable situation, however. We just need to take the Holiday in hand within our own families, building traditions they will carry on for generations to come. I grew up with a very superficial understanding of Christmas. I'm not really sure I can point to a personal epiphany that caused me to see the error of my ways. However, since having children, I can say that Christmas has been celebrated for what it truly is and in a spirit befitting the ocassion. Giftgiving is certainly a significant part of our celebration, but we don't set foot inside of a store for the purpose of plucking a premade gift from the shelf for second-cousin Bertha, which will be grudgingly toted to a dreaded family gathering, all the while watching the clock. We visit generally small specialty shops where we can find the materials to make Christmas gifts with our hands. Yes, this tradition did spring from a protracted period of poverty, but was a blessing. It put giftgiving into it's proper perspective. Because handmade gifts are time-consuming, we have the opportunity to think about the recipient and to put love into the making. Giftmaking starts in late summer at our house. Knitting needles, wools, sewing supplies, woodworking supplies, pens, inks, paints and imaginations all come out and get put to heavy use. We spend Advent discussing projects, helping each other with them, and trying not to blow the gaff for the recipient. We make gifts for those family members we are closest to, the process of creating handmade gifts tends to allow the superficiality of giftgiving to people we would not otherwise spend significant time with, to fall away. Relations whom we don't see the rest of the year receive a thoughtfully chosen greeting card with our love attached. Our greatest gift to them is perhaps the greatest gift of all - our prayers.
Following Thanksgiving celebrations, when most of the Western world is scrambling to the shops for the best deal on Christmas presents they don't really want to go into debt for, we are digging out the Advent Wreath and firing up the oven for homemade goodies. Usually about the second week in Advent, the tree comes home. Popcorn is popped for garland (and to feed the birds after disposal) and saltdough ornaments are baked and hung. A Christmas newsletter is composed and is now posted online to ensure cards are sent out before Valentine's Day. We are also putting the finishing touches on our homemade gifts and wrapping them up in pretty papers and bows. We attend choir and bell practices, visit with family and friends, perform at our Church and as guests in others, sing for the elderly, and generally enjoy bustling about. We celebrate St. Nicholas Day with paper bags of chocolates and clementines, sometimes celebrate St. Lucia's Day, and enjoy observing Hannukah as we suspect Jesus might have done (complete with latkes and a rousing game of dreidl). For the last two years, Advent is when we begin charity giftmaking. This year, our eldest daughter knitted 30 caps for the babies at our local NICU. They were blessed by our parish priest and delivered on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Day is the climax of our Advent preparations. It begins with a sweet treat and coffee (or cocoa) while gifts are exchanged and joyfully opened. We dress and hurry to Church to celebrate the Birthday of Jesus, and then return home for a celebratory dinner complete with lighted birthday cake. The table is set with our prettiest cloth, which lies over a sprinkling of blessed hay, symbolising the hay in the manger. Candles are set and lit, an extra place is set symbolising having made our home ready to receive Christ, in whatever form he might appear.
We make visits out to relatives during the twelve days leading up to Epiphany. This is generally when we exchange gifts with extended family and dine together. Bell and choir pratices continue as do performances during this time. The tree stays up and is admired until after Epiphany, then it is with a twinge of sadness that it is un-decorated and put out to return to nature. The joy is extended somewhat as we watch and wait to see neighborhood birds come to munch on the stale popcorn garland. So this year, as I pack away the glittery pinecones that were made by small hands and hung in with great ceremony from balsam fir boughs, I'll be praying that next year brings you a simply joyful Christmas season.
I am a reasonably intelligent and worldly person, but I can not understand how people allow themselves to get so bent out of shape over an event that is meant to be the culmination of Peace, Love, Hope and Joy. What is more, I become supremely irritated (I am after all only human) with people who don't 'get' it. People who celebrate the Birth of Jesus, without actually acknowledging that that is the Feast of the Nativity - a Christian holiday - make me more than just a little twitchy. I am annoyed that a religious holiday has been hijacked and abused by commercial entities for their own purposes. I don't deny that there is a need for goods related to the celebration of the holiday, but we have gone beyond the point of turning the Holiday into a novelty occurance - an event that is for most people more about what we wear, how much money we can spend on people we could care less about the rest of the year, and making an impression for the sake of people we know only superficially. Wouldn't it be lovely if we invited interested non-Christians into our homes to experience Christmas-tide as it truly should be?
It's not an unsalvageable situation, however. We just need to take the Holiday in hand within our own families, building traditions they will carry on for generations to come. I grew up with a very superficial understanding of Christmas. I'm not really sure I can point to a personal epiphany that caused me to see the error of my ways. However, since having children, I can say that Christmas has been celebrated for what it truly is and in a spirit befitting the ocassion. Giftgiving is certainly a significant part of our celebration, but we don't set foot inside of a store for the purpose of plucking a premade gift from the shelf for second-cousin Bertha, which will be grudgingly toted to a dreaded family gathering, all the while watching the clock. We visit generally small specialty shops where we can find the materials to make Christmas gifts with our hands. Yes, this tradition did spring from a protracted period of poverty, but was a blessing. It put giftgiving into it's proper perspective. Because handmade gifts are time-consuming, we have the opportunity to think about the recipient and to put love into the making. Giftmaking starts in late summer at our house. Knitting needles, wools, sewing supplies, woodworking supplies, pens, inks, paints and imaginations all come out and get put to heavy use. We spend Advent discussing projects, helping each other with them, and trying not to blow the gaff for the recipient. We make gifts for those family members we are closest to, the process of creating handmade gifts tends to allow the superficiality of giftgiving to people we would not otherwise spend significant time with, to fall away. Relations whom we don't see the rest of the year receive a thoughtfully chosen greeting card with our love attached. Our greatest gift to them is perhaps the greatest gift of all - our prayers.
Following Thanksgiving celebrations, when most of the Western world is scrambling to the shops for the best deal on Christmas presents they don't really want to go into debt for, we are digging out the Advent Wreath and firing up the oven for homemade goodies. Usually about the second week in Advent, the tree comes home. Popcorn is popped for garland (and to feed the birds after disposal) and saltdough ornaments are baked and hung. A Christmas newsletter is composed and is now posted online to ensure cards are sent out before Valentine's Day. We are also putting the finishing touches on our homemade gifts and wrapping them up in pretty papers and bows. We attend choir and bell practices, visit with family and friends, perform at our Church and as guests in others, sing for the elderly, and generally enjoy bustling about. We celebrate St. Nicholas Day with paper bags of chocolates and clementines, sometimes celebrate St. Lucia's Day, and enjoy observing Hannukah as we suspect Jesus might have done (complete with latkes and a rousing game of dreidl). For the last two years, Advent is when we begin charity giftmaking. This year, our eldest daughter knitted 30 caps for the babies at our local NICU. They were blessed by our parish priest and delivered on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Day is the climax of our Advent preparations. It begins with a sweet treat and coffee (or cocoa) while gifts are exchanged and joyfully opened. We dress and hurry to Church to celebrate the Birthday of Jesus, and then return home for a celebratory dinner complete with lighted birthday cake. The table is set with our prettiest cloth, which lies over a sprinkling of blessed hay, symbolising the hay in the manger. Candles are set and lit, an extra place is set symbolising having made our home ready to receive Christ, in whatever form he might appear.
We make visits out to relatives during the twelve days leading up to Epiphany. This is generally when we exchange gifts with extended family and dine together. Bell and choir pratices continue as do performances during this time. The tree stays up and is admired until after Epiphany, then it is with a twinge of sadness that it is un-decorated and put out to return to nature. The joy is extended somewhat as we watch and wait to see neighborhood birds come to munch on the stale popcorn garland. So this year, as I pack away the glittery pinecones that were made by small hands and hung in with great ceremony from balsam fir boughs, I'll be praying that next year brings you a simply joyful Christmas season.
posted by Nissa at 1:25 PM
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