In Europe at Christmastime, the celebrations that are held have well departed from the “original” Christmas story – the one displayed in cribs. Father Christmas (not to mention Rudolph the reindeer) has truly upstaged baby Jesus.
Even so the “original” story remains alive and becomes more vibrant given how continental European society is developing, in a situation where immigration and the corona virus pandemic remain at the forefront of people’s concerns.
There is little difference between what is said as having happened in the shed with manger at Bethlehem and what is taking place at the borders of Europe. True, the family of Joseph the carpenter did not emigrate “irregularly” when it took the road to Jerusalem in order to register for the census... but it was hardly in a much better condition, since it was so poor. Then to escape Herod’s wrath it became a family of refugees.
Whatever we think about them, this too might be the time to show more compassion towards irregular migrants and asylum seekers who arrive here without any support, as forgotten people, and like all of us, are frightened too by the threat of the pandemic. Were we to show such compassion, Father Christmas would not complain.
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LIGHTS
Never before have the street lightings for Christmas impressed me as much as they have this year. Usually I rarely give them any attention and just focus on how to move through the crowds.
This time, many streets were almost totally empty of people as of the evening and certainly at night. What remained alive were the shadows of street cats manoeuvering under the wheels of parked cars. They too were not so many.
At present, one is practically obliged to consider the lighting. And one notes how in many instances, it has been thoughtfully designed, with a quite significant creative input. Previously, the street lighting up high served to provide background. Now it dominates, as if with an invitation to passers-by for next year. So, consider the lights for what they are, an integral part of the method by which our society tries to make people happy as well as itself.
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PROPOSAL...
I hope to succeed but this past year, I’ve been clogged with too many writing datelines and could not keep up with my reading. For this holiday season I would at least like to keep up with the traditional feelings of good cheer and fellowship by which we all get primed for Christmas. So I decided to revisit the Christmas Books issued by Charles Dickens more than 150 years ago.
Not the first number, “Christmas Carol”... but “The Cricket on the Hearth”. Dickens got them published them year on year, even if none obtained the same runaway success as the first volume... but they did build up Christmas celebrations in line with how they were done in the UK in Dickens’ time. The scenes and episodes he described eventually shaped the ways by which future generations would continue to carry over and practise Christmas cheer.
My problem is whether with all the good will I can summon, it will be possible to find enough time to read “The Cricket on the Hearth” from beginnning to end before the Christmas season is over.
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With all best wishes for a merry Xmas to all.