The Spirit of Christmas - 12/21/11

Talking with my father about the true meaning of Christmas a few days ago, we both came to a rather obvious realization that is nevertheless often overlooked during the holiday season.  Christmas is certainly about recognizing and honoring the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, even if he was probably born in the Spring.  But outside of the religiosity of Christmas, there's the mythology of Santa Clause that society has invented in order to fuel the fires of our consumer/want-based mentality.  The incessant fervour to spend money on stuff and give gifts to those we care for, not so much because we want to . . .but because we feel obligated to. . .causes many of us to despise this season. 

But in my eyes, neither Santa nor Christ truly embodies the essence of Christmas.  To me, the season is filled with a feeling that is wholly lacking throughout the rest of the year.  There's a palpable electricity in the air, one that truly resonates within me and fills me with anticipation and wonder.  This feeling immediately takes me back to my youth, and so for me the true meaning of Christmas is a celebration of childhood.

Childhood is a time of exuberance and mystery.  As children, we are ignorant...and yet, if left to our own devices, we're happy.  Our hearts are filled with a purity and innocence that allows us to appreciate life in a way our adult minds could never comprehend.  The mind of a child may be uneducated, but it is curious, malleable, and above all OPEN to learning new ideas and concepts.

In Matthew 18:3, Jesus said:

Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

To me, this quote speaks of a profound truth.  Our hearts and our minds must become like they were when we were children in order to reunite with God.  And what does this mean, exactly? The faith of a child is one of certainty, we KNOW God's presence because we are alive in it each day.  We don't need to read volumes of religious text or study at seminaries in order to experience the divine.  Our fascination with the world, our eagerness to discover, our willingness to speak our minds, our desire to befriend everyone, and our playful imaginations are all God-given gifts that come to us effortlessly as children.  Unfortunately, we are conditioned by our parents, our teachers, and society itself to restrain our true nature or even ignore it outright for many reasons, though they all point back to one underlying cause; fear.

Christmas reminds me of what it was like to be young.  This is true for many of us, especially those of us who have children of our own.  We relive our own childhood vicariously by seeing the Spirit of Christmas come alive within them.  This spirit is none other than the presence of God, and it is with us each and everyday....but sometimes we need a special occasion, day, or celebration to remind us of this truth.

I wish I could always have that faith, because I never questioned it as a child; I always knew that there is magic in this world, that God is with us always, and the greatest gift we have in life is simply to enjoy it.