“And in despair I bowed my head, there is no peace on earth I said, for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth goodwill to men…”
“What do you want for Christmas?” It’s the question that starts circulating every Thanksgiving. Would it come across as derisive to ask for peace on earth? Listening to the news on any given day, all I should ask for is peace and an end to human suffering. Maybe it’s ridiculous to think of putting lofty idealistic notions on our Christmas lists and expecting anyone to actually do anything about it. Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic. Or maybe I just feel the need to be facetious right now, due to that Christmas exhaustion setting in. It’s the Eve of Christmas, and while I’m currently baking a cake which I’m totally jazzed about, I have a multitude of thoughts running through my mind. And so I shall put the proverbial pen to the paper whilst the aroma of spice fills the space in which I dwell.
This is the time of year for décor galore, holly jolly halls filled with Christmas carols, reenactments of the birth of Christ, shopping til we drop, naughty and nice, hustle and bustle, twinkling lights that make us yearn for romance, standing in long lines for photos with Santa, insane traffic, all the parties…you know…peace on earth. We say it’s the season for peace, but we have a tendency to make it the opposite. Many of these songs I’m rocking out to from my Christmas playlist are reiterating the same message…a crying out for peace on earth. Peace in His time. The same need for peace in our time.
We get caught up doing all the things we “should” do, because it’s what’s expected at Christmastime, all whilst sacrificing our sanity. Don’t misunderstand. I LOVE Christmas. The magic, the music, my family, gift giving, and most of the things we all do to celebrate the season. But I also wrestle with the ideas of Christmas celebration more and more every year. The older I get, the more I understand why my Papaw would sometimes opt out of the holiday gatherings. Not that he didn’t love us or want to be with us. When he was present, he had more fun than anyone. But he lived with social anxiety and would often feel sick from it. He felt his feelings very deeply and was suffering in silence. I wish I had understood all of this better back then, because I feel it too. I wish I could go back and talk with him about it and let him know he wasn’t alone. The weight of the world on my heart weighs me down emotionally. Maybe I need to perpetually catch up on sleep? Maybe I’m just more prone to introversion. Maybe I love the festivities too much, and then get depressed when it’s all over. Or maybe it’s the ghost of Christmas past. Whatever it is, it’s easy to get caught up in the merriment and magic of the holidays, whilst neglecting self care. (Now I’m picturing Buddy the Elf and the Grinch on a teeter totter, both trying to win over my heart.) Thus the ensuing exhaustion come Boxing Day. Cue that melancholy Relient K song…
Did Jesus intend for us to celebrate His birth every year with grand elaborate measures? I’m not saying we shouldn’t, it’s purely a question out of curious pondering. Coming on the scene in such a tumultuous time in Israel’s history, His dichotomous message of rebellion and peace was counter-cultural. Our holiday culture is all about keeping traditions with family and friends year after year, which I cherish very deeply. But I do find it comical imagining a man from some 2,000 years ago being baffled with how we choose to celebrate in His honor. No doubt He would find some of our modern traditions odd and needlessly excessive, as our ancient recorded stories consist mainly of Him overturning the norms, teaching in parabolic form, or helping people in need. Did He spend a lot of time with His family? Did He ever play games and tell jokes, or was He all business all the time? Did He need a lot of down time after all that traveling and socialization? We see glimpses of it in His stories. Meals and parties yet always on call. Time for much needed reflection. And naps. It’s easy to imagine He too would get over-stimulated and need to metaphorically recharge His batteries.
I wonder how He would react in our social settings had He been home for the holidays. Would He feel anxious with all the hustle and bustle? Would He condemn our over-commercialized celebration or merrily join in the spirit of Christmas? Maybe He would enjoy singing The Twelve Days of Christmas…who knows! Would He tell us not to exclude other winter holidays in our usual merry greetings? Would He captivate us with a story? Would He pass out on the couch after dessert? Would we even welcome him…a stranger in our home? Would we find our own humanity acknowledged with a simple look into His eyes? Would He judge us from across the room or would He love us harder…idiosyncrasies, icks, and all? Maybe He would bring up controversial political topics at dinner to make us all uncomfortable. After all, that is why He came in the first place…to shake things up. And yet still deliver peace. Quite the paradox.
If He was home for the holidays, would He be proud of us or find us making a mockery of his main request…to love all humankind? Would He have a twinkle in His eye at the sight of our family around the Christmas tree? Would He find us creating chaos…or fostering peace? Are we the love and grace this world desperately needs, or are we too jaded and cynical to care for our fellow humans on this earthly journey? Maybe we’re just too worn out to do anything about it. I feel that in my soul as I am currently writing these thoughts amidst a weekend of holiday fatigue. Journaling always seems to help me process my feelings. In this over-stimulating, over-commercialized, yet wonderful, merry-and-bright, gift-giving, celebratory season with the ones we love, may we find it within ourselves to be the peace, hope, and joy to the world. A heaven on earth type of existence in the present day. That’s the magic of the holidays, and my challenge to myself this season.
“The wrong shall fail; the right prevail with peace on earth, goodwill to men. I heard the bells on Christmas Day!”
Blue Moon Muse 