Well, we survived the laughable apocalyptic predictions purported by some observers of a long extinct people. Jolly Old Saint Nick shed a few pounds to descend our collective chimneys, delivering the foreign-made toys (batteries not included) that will soon be forgotten. And, as we gaze forward to the unfolding of a new year, we make non-binding resolutions on ourselves to attain some lofty ambition that we know deep down is nothing but a recipe for failure.
Add in the social obligations of the December fare such as industry mixers, company soirees, family get-togethers (oh my goodness, do NOT get me started on this fresh hell), the claustrophobic malls with their snotty retail clerks, the take-a-cab-to-get-to-my-car parking stalls, and that endless regiment of chiming Christmas carols grating on the few remaining nuances of decorum you have, and you have yourself one heck of a stressful month that will take a two week vacation sprawled out on some white sand beach covered in coconut palm oil sizzling in the thirty degree sun, with a fancy beverage dutifully garnished with a slab of fruit, a requisite paper umbrella and a bendy straw in one hand, and that novel you bought seven months ago but haven’t had a chance to read in the other, just to recuperate.
And then there are the financial implications as well. If you are like most in North America, you will be reminded for several months just how splendid a time you had as you slice open your monthly credit card statements and anxiously gaze at the ‘minimum amount due’ line.
As the face of our country changes, so too does the mood surrounding Christmas. Absent are the houses displaying colorful blinking lights. Snow-capped lawns are void of the reindeer, Santa, or snowman ornaments that helped theme the season and carry forth the neighborhood camaraderie. And in the politically correct era in which we live, the mere mention of ‘Merry Christmas’ is now very exclusionary.
The spirit of Christmas, it would seem, is melting as quickly as the polar ice caps.
What we need is a new phrase and celebration for this general time of year. One that is inclusive of other faiths. One that embraces the experiences and lessons learned of the previous year and that welcomes with open arms the rejuvenation of a new year. One that can convey Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Assalamu Alikum, and any other peaceful greeting used during such a festive time.
On its face, such a solution seems simple. In practice, if history is to be our teacher, it would take longer to get each representative to agree on a meeting place and time to discuss such a solution. The debate would soon turn heated, with one faction accusing another of some perceived threat or insurrection. Old rivalries spanning centuries would preclude any hope of agreement on what to have for lunch, let alone resolving how to be inclusive yet distinct. All this at a time when many religions recognize peace as a guiding principal within their faith.
Today and every day, may you find peace in your heart so there may be peace on Earth.
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