I love Christmas. I never used to. It used to feel like the season of obligation, where we all went through the motions to try and meet each others expectations. I liked to think that, for people and families of faith, Christmas meant more and over the years I have attended various church services, buddhist gatherings, group meditations, even embarking on spiritual pilgrimage to India during one particularly adventurous Christmas.
There’s no doubt that Christmas captures the heart and imagination of everyone across the globe. And the same messages are trotted out each year – that no one should be alone at Christmas, that everyone should have shelter and a hot meal, that there should be gifts for all and peace on earth, goodwill to all men - and women, children and animals (can I just quickly mention that supermarket food magazines at this time of the year look increasingly like fetish torture mags to me in the way that they display all the dead animals ready for the national gorge fest that Christmas has become).
We are an advertisers dream and, increasing, a captive audience - TV, ipads, social media, magazines, papers, interactive devices, billboards - it's getting more challenging to escape the bombardment of sales.
I have been receiving emails since October trying to sell me Christmas essentials for myself and loved ones, countless charities asking for my contributions to their particular causes, pop-up ads on facebook and the odd game that I play – images and words sinking into my brain despite my seeming dismissal of them. Even Krishna Das, beloved mantracharya of the yoga world, is flogging the ideal last minute e-gift. The emails are quite personal, they use my first name and become increasingly concerned that I am missing out on all the lovely bargains available to me. Meanwhile on TV….at the beginning of December one group, Park Christmas Savings, were advising us to start saving for Christmas 2019. I used to take some interest but there is so much of it now that I spend a little time each day deleting and unsubscribing. In amongst all of this I didn’t see one advert about hardship, debt and the life sucking effect of living beyond your means, nothing about life vanishing before your eyes as you spend it working to buy huge amounts of stuff in celebration of……..well, what exactly are we celebrating?
Technically, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and the birth of Christianity. Whilst church groups undoubtedly carry out good works and provide people with faith and support, the persecution of ethnic, pagan, female, vulnerable, homosexual and religious groups in the name of Christianity has been widely exposed. This is not exclusive to Christianity – groups of people anywhere for any reason, gathering together for a cause can create boundaries, rules and intolerance of others, whether in the name of religion, freedom, politics or business.
We’re also aware of the similarity between the dates of Christian festivals and the older pagan or wiccan festivals, and many stories abound of mid winter celebrations the world over that pre-date the supposed birth date of Christ.
So what are we really celebrating? What are we actually doing? To be clear, I believe in Christ and value the core teachings, and I have no objection to a few days off work where we all exchange gifts, share fine food and drink and take time to include other people, offering warmth and shelter and love.
But we can do this all year round. All people should have shelter and warmth and a hot meal every day of their lives, and enough resources exist in the world to provide this now. All people should be able to live in community, able to trust that non-judgemental, objective support and care is available for them if they need it.
I’m not saving it all for Christmas anymore. Christmas can be an all year round state of mind and being. So who’s for it?
Love to all.
May all beings know peace.