The true “spirit of Christmas”

Dec 25, 2012 News

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By Abena Rockcliffe  
I have never been one to believe in Santa Claus, Kris Kringle or Saint Nicholas, but I definitely believed in and looked forward to buying and receiving gifts, even as a child. And from then to now not much has changed, as the exciting feeling that is expected at the end of December is ignited when I start shopping from my gift list.
However, shopping does not cut it for my mom; she needs to smell the black cake baking, new vinolay, paint, and she has to see the ham before she can remotely get the famous “Christmas feeling.”
Not surprisingly, getting the Christmas spirit is a whole different ballgame for dad; once everyone else in the house is okay and they seem to have caught the Christmas fever, he walks around with a permanent smile, just ready to sample everything mom makes to ensure that “it tastes right.” Trickster!
Anyhow, the point is as they say “different folks different strokes,”, what rocks my boat may not rock yours, but at the end of it all what seems to be important around this time is getting the “Christmas spirit.”
Strange enough, though I am admittedly a Christmas fanatic, I haven’t been able to fully define what exactly this “Christmas spirit” is.
Is it when you get that drive to spotlessly clean the house then still find the energy to “fix away”? Does getting the Christmas spirit mean you go into town to ensure you get all that is needed to make your family happy, but you shove, push and be mean to people who are merely trying to do the same thing?
Is it when you go buy the pepper pot meat and a less fortunate person asks you “for a help” and you tell them you don’t have?
Or is it when you tell people “all the best for the season” but harbour animosity about the same person?
I really don’t know, but these are all things that happen around Christmas.
In the movies, I see all sorts of strange things happening at Christmas and they are most times dubbed “Christmas miracles.” But what usually blows me away and sometimes makes me cry, are the logical miracles.
Yes, I said logical miracles; I know, the words logical and miracles coming together sounds like an oxymoron but as my mom would say, “tek mah wrong and you will find mah right.”
When I use the term logical miracles I am not referring to those where we see a man gaining 300lbs overnight and growing a long white beard. Nor am I referring to when gifts appear out of thin air with no explanation as to who may have placed it there.
Logical miracles, as seen by me, are those possible things that have been waiting to happen; but it takes the “true spirit of Christmas” for it to be activated.
For example, the Christmas movie ‘Home Alone’
The movie carries a veiled yet visible plot, and amidst all the humour, is a clear message of the real importance of Christmas.  Kevin, the main character, or as we say, the star of the movie, made a wish to be alone for the holidays. But he was not as happy as he thought he would have been when he realized his wish came true, and most of us know the series of events thereafter.
But, what was most touching was the scene where Kevin had a conversation with his neighbour, an old man who hadn’t spoken to his son in ages.  Kevin, a child not older than ten, advised a man about 70 years his senior to call his son and “make things right” because of the simple fact that “it’s Christmas.”
The directors of the movie didn’t include a scene that would have shown the make-up process between the man and his son. But at the end of the movie, through his windows, Kevin saw the man, his son and grandchildren around the Christmas tree sharing lots of love and happiness. The man was never portrayed in a more pleasant light throughout the movie.
That, I would say was done within the spirit of Christmas.  A broken relationship was fixed. So when the ham and turkey were finished, the relationship remained. When the novelty of the material gifts wore off, the gift of love remained in the hearts of those who received it.
As insignificant as the movie may seem, it made me realize that we have the power to perform miracles.
So, this Christmas, touch a little heart like ‘Santa’ does with his gifts, forgive like God does all year round, make a way like Jesus did, and live in love and unity as we all should.
If or when that is done, one thing is most likely to happen;  we will realize that the black cake, ham, pepper pot, gifts and well decorated house and Christmas trees  are only additives to Christmas, because the true spirit of the season comes  from within and it works best coming from a pure heart.
Merry Christmas!

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