Wednesday, December 21, 2011

TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS


Alas for those who think of lightly falling snow, slowly covering the grey pavement of city streets in this Christmas Season in Canada.  They will be very disappointed this year, according to what I have heard on the T.V. and the radio.

However, is that what Christmas is all about?  It is just an added touch to the magic of the season.  Christmas is about God's gift to human kind, Jesus the Messiah, coming as a baby, born by a natural method but not conceived in the normal way.

Christmas is also about  people giving to those less fortunate than them, sharing meals with family and friends and  going to special services in the church.

There is another side of this season which few people want to talk about.  Depression and being alone at Christmas.

All the hype about presents, good times and happy families make those who are alone think that they are missing out on something and some people become suicidal.

It may feel like they are on the outside looking in.  They may feel alienated from their fellow humans.  Family strife may be accented and old arguments may be revived.Not all people on this earth have harmonious family relationships.

 It is perhaps one of the most stressful times in the year for those who have little and cannot buy presents for those whom they love, or for those widowed, single again or totally alone.

Shall we not think of the true meaning of this season?  For after all, that is what it is all about!


2 comments:

WEF said...

times change and meanings change. Christmas used to be about Mithra or Saturnalia, and came to be about Jesus only much later. 1800-odd years after Christmas celebrations began, it seems to be all about family get-togethers and consumerism and very little of the older meanings seem to be part of it - particularly with elements in society endeavouring to make Christmas an all-inclusive holiday (retaining the name, but removing the reason for the name).

Curious how society works.

And personally, while I recognize that there would not have been any snow on the ground where Jesus is supposed to have been born at the time he's supposed to have been born - I must admit I miss the snow on the ground for that day.

Wilma Seville said...

Hello WEF,

Thanks for leaving a comment. Actually, the 25th of December was chosen by the early Christians (from what a I read) as the birth date of The Christ so that they could celebrate the birth and not be noticed by the Romans who were celebrating their gods. A smart idea, saved their necks for another day! I have an Egyptian friend who says that Jesus was most likely born in September as the dates are ready for harvest and in the Qur'an they are mentioned when giving details of the birth of The Messiah. Very interesting to find out why and how things actually come to pass!