Merry Christmas

My tendency when writing about Christmas is to talk about it as seen through the eyes of a child. A time of magic, a time of wonder, a time of blessings, of mangers, of flying reindeer, of a farmer’s animals, of star and the visits of kings.

I have been musing this year about the folks who complain that we take “Christ out of Christmas” with our focus on the commercial side of the holiday. We talk of black Friday (when hopefully merchants move out of the ‘red’ into the ‘black’), of Cyber Monday, of sales and stores opening at midnight. We don’t need to complain, but remember.

Two millennia ago the world was in an enforced peace.  The long arm of the Romans ruled and no one dared make any trouble. But there was another problem, the Pax Romana of Augustus Caesar was one of absolutes, absolute rule, absolute obedience to the state, absolute control. People who thought differently lived in fear, and their government reacted in fear when opposed and those thinking differently were put down. It was a dark time.

Then a bright light shown through the darkness. No matter what we believe of his origin, or for that matter his demise, one man crafted a philosophy of love that lives to this day. He gave a gift that we remember and cherish this season. A gift not only of peace, love, and wonder, but a gift of freedom.

When we give gifts, its not important their cost, nor their source, but of the thought that is behind the gift. If we come from a place of joy and wonder, of remembering why we give, then the commercialism is simply a part of the season, and a good part. If we come from greed, or lack of sentiment, well you know the rest.

When we give a gift, or say Merry Christmas, we do our small part to remember the light that helped bring the Roman world out of slavery, and continues to speak to us so many centuries later. The thought behind those gifts, large or small, makes the difference. There is no need to “put Christ back in Christmas.” He never left.

Merry Christmas from all of us, Christian and Jew, believer and non, at Parking Today. Have a wonderful, loving, remembering, very happy holiday.

JVH