The Magic of Christmas
Lately, I've been thinking of the so-called "Magic of Christmas". I've been thinking, what it means actually. I mean, when you ask me, why I love Christmas, the answer is easy: because it's a remembrance that the Savior came to Earth as a child to redeem mankind. In that event, God abandoned his divine form to become a human, with all our flows and weaknesses. So for me, Christmas is a holiday of hope and ultimate love.
But what about people who are not Christians, but they celebrate Christmas? What's in it for them? Is it just another commercial holiday, like Valentine's Day and Halloween, which drive from Christian or pagan culture, but have nothing to do with it anymore?
So I started thinking, what people love about these three holidays. People like Valentine's Day, because it's all cute'n'cuddly, little pink hearts and stuffed teddy-bears, puppies and kittens saying "be my valentine". So that's one. Next is Halloween, a holiday full of ghouls, goblins, dark phantoms and scary witches. And trick-or-treats. Everyone likes candies.
So, people love Valentine's Day for its cute design and Halloween for its scary design. Christmas however is not as cute as Valentine's Day, and a lot more cheerful than Halloween. So what's in it? My first thought are presents, but atheists claim that it's not just the presents that attract them to Christmas. What more?
Christmas Tree for one. It's beautiful, colorful, glitters and has candy on it. Everybody loves candy.
Number two: the stockings with presents. Ok, everybody loves presents, but we've already dismissed those, as not the most important thing.
Number three: family supper or breakfast. In my country, it's supper on Christmas Eve and breakfast on Christmas Morning, but it differs depending on the country tradition. Some like these family reunions, some don’t, so family holiday is important, but not the answer.
Number four: Christmas Cheer, Christmas Carols ect. In my country, we sing carols about newborn Jesus, Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Three Kings, angles and shepherds, but in other countries, they sing about dashing through the snow with jingling bells. But all of those songs are cheerful. What do we all cheer for, us Christians and out atheist brothers?
And then it occurred to me. No matter what religion or no religion your into, Christmas is about hope. It's a holiday in which we celebrate a child in us, the baby Christ, or just our inner child. On Christmas we remember our childhood days. In snowball fights, snowmen, sleigh rides, sweets on the tree and present (every child loves snow, sweets and presents). We remember how it is to be a child with no worries and full of hope. 'Cause we are full of hope. On this one day, we hope there is good in all people in the world, that everything will be alright, that we will prevail through the next year and we wish it to our friends and loved-ones. Because most of all, Christmas in about love and caring. When it's cold outside, we start to appreciate the warmth of our loved-ones arms, and we realize, just how much we care for them. Presents are not an obligatory part of Christmas, they're voluntarily. It’s a way to say: I love you and I care. That's why we love Christmas, because it's a very easy and heartwarming way to say the things which are often so hard to say on your own. That's the magic of Christmas. You want to be good, loving, caring and hopeful, because you worry and forget it all year round, and remember it on Christmas, and that's great. That's the little miracle that differs Christmas from all other "commercialized" holidays. Because it drives from the culture, and has stayed in the culture, making us remember.
I don't know weather You agree with me or not, but that answer is good enough for me. For now. Because for a Christian, every Christmas and Advent is a new quest of questions and answers. So, till next year. Merry Christmas, the holiday of love & hope :)
But what about people who are not Christians, but they celebrate Christmas? What's in it for them? Is it just another commercial holiday, like Valentine's Day and Halloween, which drive from Christian or pagan culture, but have nothing to do with it anymore?
So I started thinking, what people love about these three holidays. People like Valentine's Day, because it's all cute'n'cuddly, little pink hearts and stuffed teddy-bears, puppies and kittens saying "be my valentine". So that's one. Next is Halloween, a holiday full of ghouls, goblins, dark phantoms and scary witches. And trick-or-treats. Everyone likes candies.
So, people love Valentine's Day for its cute design and Halloween for its scary design. Christmas however is not as cute as Valentine's Day, and a lot more cheerful than Halloween. So what's in it? My first thought are presents, but atheists claim that it's not just the presents that attract them to Christmas. What more?
Christmas Tree for one. It's beautiful, colorful, glitters and has candy on it. Everybody loves candy.
Number two: the stockings with presents. Ok, everybody loves presents, but we've already dismissed those, as not the most important thing.
Number three: family supper or breakfast. In my country, it's supper on Christmas Eve and breakfast on Christmas Morning, but it differs depending on the country tradition. Some like these family reunions, some don’t, so family holiday is important, but not the answer.
Number four: Christmas Cheer, Christmas Carols ect. In my country, we sing carols about newborn Jesus, Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Three Kings, angles and shepherds, but in other countries, they sing about dashing through the snow with jingling bells. But all of those songs are cheerful. What do we all cheer for, us Christians and out atheist brothers?
And then it occurred to me. No matter what religion or no religion your into, Christmas is about hope. It's a holiday in which we celebrate a child in us, the baby Christ, or just our inner child. On Christmas we remember our childhood days. In snowball fights, snowmen, sleigh rides, sweets on the tree and present (every child loves snow, sweets and presents). We remember how it is to be a child with no worries and full of hope. 'Cause we are full of hope. On this one day, we hope there is good in all people in the world, that everything will be alright, that we will prevail through the next year and we wish it to our friends and loved-ones. Because most of all, Christmas in about love and caring. When it's cold outside, we start to appreciate the warmth of our loved-ones arms, and we realize, just how much we care for them. Presents are not an obligatory part of Christmas, they're voluntarily. It’s a way to say: I love you and I care. That's why we love Christmas, because it's a very easy and heartwarming way to say the things which are often so hard to say on your own. That's the magic of Christmas. You want to be good, loving, caring and hopeful, because you worry and forget it all year round, and remember it on Christmas, and that's great. That's the little miracle that differs Christmas from all other "commercialized" holidays. Because it drives from the culture, and has stayed in the culture, making us remember.
I don't know weather You agree with me or not, but that answer is good enough for me. For now. Because for a Christian, every Christmas and Advent is a new quest of questions and answers. So, till next year. Merry Christmas, the holiday of love & hope :)