I know what the sunday school answer is here. Christmas is about…JESUS. Yeah I get that. I know the Jesus answer is all encompassing, and there is a depth to that answer that is deeper then the black hole our galaxy orbits.
Culturally Christmas is American, at least too me. It is commercialized gift giving, red cup sipping, Mall Santa sitting, the song ‘Favorite Things’ (THAT IS NOT A CHRISTMAS SONG…IT IS ABOUT BEING SCARED OF THE RAIN). Christmas is about binge watching your favorite holiday movies. Christmas is about parties and white elephant gifts. Christmas is about ugly sweaters and trying to get creative about xmas gifts. Christmas is about frosty breath, and towels on the windshield. Christmas is about christmas lights and a fire in the fireplace. Christmas is about witty banter with my sister at the dinner table, and rolling our eyes at the comments Dad makes. It is about helping Mom make Xmas desserts. It is about Starbucks Christmas Roast in the French Press.
For as long as I remember at each Grandparent’s Xmas we read Luke before opening gifts. To refocus our minds on the real reason for the season. We went to Church Xmas plays and services. I ‘know’ the reason, yet the cultural implications of American Xmas are felt even here in Malaysia. Santa and gift giving. Gingerbread houses and Christmas Carols.
Through College I worked at a Starbucks in the Mall. The Mall is my personal hell. Sheol. The pit of death. The Grave. Seriously, I loath Malls. (PS THERE ARE SOOOO MANY MALLS HERE IN MALAYSIA) For those 4-5 years Xmas was not fun, or joyful, or cheery. It was full of long lines, angry customers, it was full of long hours, depressing thoughts, and hating life. It was last minute Xmas gifts. It was counting the days till the New Year hit.
Even as I moved from the Mall to the bourgeoisie part of town, Starbucks still stayed the same. I represented the commercialism of Starbucks that I loathed. As I grew older things did get better. I think as I went through hard things, it gave me more grace for uptight soccer moms, bitchy white gurls, nose in the air lawyers. As my outlook begin to change, I began to notice all the people around me who were awesome. It became easier to be myself.
Yet Christmas, to me, is still not about ‘Jesus’, its more then that. Pretty much every day for me has ‘Jesus’ in it. (as yours should be too). Granted it is good to celebrate Birthdays. (I don’t really like Birthday’s though). But it is good to celebrate Friends and Family. I read a stat that 81% of non-christians celebrate Christmas. So what are they celebrating. They are celebrating Friends and Family. Celebrating unity. Celebrating gratefulness. Celebrating connectivity. Celebrating love.
And Yeah. That is Jesus. More then just a baby in a manager. It is Unity. It is Gratefulness. It is Connectivity. It is Love.
During Xmas, the action we do to bring this unity, gratefulness, connectivity, and love into the world, is GIVING.
Here in Malaysia that is something I can do. I can give.
The funniest part is, the more I give, the more I end up receiving.
It is almost ironic. It is almost infuriating. It is the spirit of Immanuel.
God With Us.
Christmas and Me have had a rocky relationship.
Maybe this year will be a turning point.
