I heard on NPR today that Charles Dickens was the man who invented Christmas after A Christmas Carol encouraged people to celebrate with family and goodwill and Rizzo the Rat. Apparently the Puritans and Protestant Reformerators had banned Christmas celebrations in both England and the U.S. at various times because it was too commercial. (and hedonistic and pagan and such, but still! How materialistic can you be without indoor plumbing?)
I love Christmas. The lights, the smells, the excitement in my children’s faces. Susan(4) is hoping for a lot of candy in her stocking (Halloween made a big impression this year). Sally(7) has asked for a stuffed animal now that Flower, her favorite purple bunny, has been loved into an early Velveteen grave. Spot(2) hasn’t asked for anything yet, but she has learned to shout a defensive “mine!” whenever Susan eyes her favorite pony.
When we lived in Cairo, our Christmases were sweet and simple. There were no extended family dinners or office parties or lights on the house or presents to ship. Our trees were bushy juniper shrubs. Our nativity sets were made of clay or wood by native Coptic Christians. Celebrating Christmas seemed like a deliberate choice. A Christian commemoration in a Muslim country that signified our belief, our hope in Christ.
The second year we were in Egypt I miscarried on December 23rd. It was an even quieter Christmas.
Every year since then, I’ve wished that our Christmas could be simpler, quieter. Of course, when we were in Cairo I wished for a large Noble Fir, and a ham for Christmas dinner, and I longed to see my own parents and eat rot kohl with my sisters and brothers. We only had one child in Cairo, so of course it was quieter, and simpler.
Now we have three kids, and I’m glad for the family parties and the friendly neighbors who bring treats. And the lights that deck the houses we drive by and the carols on the radio and the big tree that stands in the corner.
I even like the Christmas cards that I swore this year I wouldn’t do.
I think the problem is that I do honestly want a smaller Christmas, a Christmas on the inside, so I say, This year I won’t buy ANY presents or do any sort of craft or send any kind of card. I won’t go to any parties or decorate the house or bake the Allen’s special almond pastry. And then I get a little bit stressed as I add all these things back in, one by one, a month too late, where a little bit stressed means I yell and say the f-word during our family activity EVEN THOUGH I’ve realized I LIKE cards, and crafts (easy ones), and little teacher presents that the kids can wrap, and decorations, and I ESPECIALLY LIKE the special almond pastry, even if it does take two pounds of butter and four hours to make.
There must be a way to reconcile the simple Christ-full Christmas on the inside with all the little family traditions that do make the season sweeter. And I think a big part of that will be making plans starting in October April?
Tonight we delivered Christmas Clementines to our neighbors. I’d found cute Chinese-takeout-style treat cartons at Costco and Dick looked online for a suitably-cheesy tagline (Orange you glad it’s Christmas?). Susan wore her Rambo headband and Spot refused to wear her coat. Sally herded her sisters from van to doorstep. Dick and I giggled like teenagers as the girls clomped along in their snowboots.
I think I better figure out the Christmas of details and presents and church parties and ornaments. The Christmas of stockings and family dinners and advent calendars and tinsel – without all the yelling.
Unless we move to India.
Jane
What works for you for simplifying the holidays while keeping all your favorite traditions?
Tags: christmas, holidays, traditions
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Ahhh yes. LOL! Being known as the “cleaning Nazi” the week before Christmas is kind of a damper to the season. . . I do the same thing. Every year. Although I always know that a cookie/candy tray will go out to each of the neighbors, and this year (what was I thinking??) I decided we should make homemade gifts for the grand p’s (at the same time we were desperately trying to finish the small remodeling projects before Christmas) yeah – it’s an interesting season, trying to balance everything.
Heather
Wow, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have Christmas in a non-Christian country.
I loved our Christmases in the Middle East, too. Even with 3 kids it was quieter and simpler over there. Where we lived the malls sold artificial pine trees, lights, decorations, and as non-Muslims we could shop at the pork store if we had wanted to. (We didn’t–too expensive.)
But it was a great experience, more meaningful because we didn’t take our private celebration for granted.
Beautiful reminders that we’ve got way too many trimmings and trappings over here. The nativities are lovely – so unique. Thanks for sharing your heart and experiences with us.
Merry Christmas!
I love your nativities. I finally feel like Christmas is coming because we got the tree (fake – too hot for real) up and nativities up this week, and are trying to consistently go through the Advent calendar pockets with M.
I realised on the weekend, I love the craziness of Christmas. We will be out and about all day, with breakfast, lunch and dinner with different relatives. I was talking to a friend about her day, and her in-laws are coming over for lunch and dinner, and they see her family on Boxing day. On one hand, it sounder much calmer, and I’d like that for maybe one year, but my Christmases have always been about moving around between Mum and Dad’s families, and the hecticness is part of the fun for me. I might not think on the day, though!
My two Christmases in Germany were much calmer and quieter, and very different because I was in the middle of another family’s traditions.
I like your idea about an “inside” Christmas. Perhaps earlier preparations would help. You may already be doing something like this, but our church has put together an adevent devotional guide. Not that I’m using it (gotta be honest, I don’t want to come across as holier-than-thou), but I think if I were, that would help me find a Chrst-full Christmas. At least, I hope it would!
Merry Christmas!
I haven’t sent out christmas cards in four years. And the last time I sent them out, I got them out in May of the following year. : )
I think I actually might send something out via email this year.
After Christmas is over.
Such beautiful nativity sets and I enjoyed hearing about our adventures in Egypt.
I wish I could have a very intimate Christmas. Not that I don’t love all the people we have to slice it up with, but I want that feeling of whole family unity. Simplicity and meaningfulness.