Christmas 2012

Throughout Christendom, tonight’s sacred commemoration is well underway. Christmas really doesn’t need any introduction nor does it need any defenders. It is a pure miracle and proof that we are unconditionally loved by God.

Of course, long is the list of criticisms of our society’s holiday observance: commercialization, too secular, divisive to multiculturalists, etc. There is also an oft-posited, but untrue, statistic that suicide occurrence is highest during this period. Actually, according to the Center for Disease Control, December sees the lowest occurrence of individuals taking their lives.1

This is not to say that there is any lack of yuletide emotion as family rituals evoke warm feelings and mourning the loss of loved ones seems more acute this time of year. Tears flow from joy, reunions, kindness, sadness, tiredness, sugar crashes, and the meltdowns from poorly chosen gifts for volatile tots.

I think about those who reschedule their holiday plans due to work, travel challenges, or other reasons. To the nurses, EMTs, police, firefighters, pharmacists, doctors, soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guard – to everyone looking after us – I raise a glass of thanks and offer whatever I can to help you have a fulfilling holiday.

There are those whose holiday is interrupted by commerce. Help desk workers, gas station attendants, over-the-road truckers, cinema staff, members of the media, power station workers, train-bus-airline personnel, and a broad variety of other tradesmen and professionals are away from kith and kin for our convenience and comfort. A second toast, to be sure.

There are accidental interruptions of holiday plans and there are those who haven’t options – and in all cases where people don’t find themselves happily planted, we send our encouragement and good wishes.

Of course, the least important part of Christmas is the calendar. I quote our thirtieth president, Calvin Coolidge:

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.2

I know I tread close to the familiar (perhaps banal) recriminations that some chest thumpers routinely and annually offer about the “true” meaning of Christmas vis-à-vis societal practice. Not my intent. I just want us all to cherish the miracle as well as appreciate the women and men whose holiday routine differs from the norm for so many reasons.

Have a great holiday . . . I offer two links to earlier Noel minded posts. God bless.

Luke 2: 1-20

A different sort of Christmas Story








1 - http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide/holiday.html
2 - http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_christmas.html#4jtC9dr5XDgG87Xj.99
Christmas lights image reported to be in the public domain and available here:  Lights