Christmas day is here once more and it seems that every year it takes me longer and longer to get into the Christmas spirit. Part of this has to do with the loss of some cherished traditions as I’ve grown older and moved into different life situations and lost loved ones. However, I think the biggest factor in this is difficulty that many people have this time of year. So many spend much of December rushing around and stressing out so that they can have one day of peace and rest, and even then their holiday can still be filled with anxiety and depression. What is supposed to be a time of peace on Earth and goodwill to all men can easily become a season of stress, bitterness, and hostility toward one another in the mad rush to get everything right. Rampant commercialization compounds this as it puts more emphasis on getting the perfect gift rather than remembering what truly matters in life.
I used to be blind to the darker side of this season but now I see it almost everywhere. It affects several of my coworkers and customers at my job and I’ve personally felt it affect me for much of this month. Earlier this week, I was thinking about how Christmas used to be my favorite holiday but it doesn’t feel that way anymore, and that really got me down. All of that changed this morning, however. I slept in, exchanged some gifts, sang a few Christmas songs, and watched A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Near the end of the Charlie Brown special, I started thinking about the Christmas truce of 1914. Early in World War I, British and German troops in Belgium stopped fighting each other on Christmas Eve and sang Christmas carols, shook hands, gave each other gifts, and even played football (or soccer as it’s known in the US). That extraordinary display of love and kindness is recreated beautifully in this ad that gave me a long-overdue cry. If that can happen on a battlefield during a war, then it can certainly happen anywhere else.
This season will become what we decide it will become. We can make it a time of fighting, hatred, anger, and stress or we can make it a time of peace, love, joy, and rest. I’d much rather it be the latter and I think everyone else would as well. I doubt that there’s anyone who would truly wish for this season to be difficult and painful; deep down, I think everyone hopes for a restful break during the holidays. That break may come from observing traditions, being spontaneous, visiting loved ones, getting some quality alone time, or anything else that you find meaningful. However you spend the holidays this year, I hope they bring you much love, joy, and peace, and may you take a page from The Muppet Christmas Carol and make it last all year. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours.