Some families celebrate Christmas with the precision of a Bach cantata and some with the creative improvisation of a jazz medley. Both can be beautiful. But while we are in the middle of it, sorting out which traditions are essential and which are flexible can be tricky. The goal of course is not the tradition but the binding of our souls.
I was minding my own business when I heard a lady say recently, “Thanksgiving did not go well.” I could tell by her inflection that she was belaboring the awkward family dynamics and afraid of what would happen over Christmas. During December we send glittering family photographs on bordered cards and exchange sparkling sentimental ornaments but often times we are tensely tip-toeing around trying not to hurt a daughter-in-law’s feelings or bruise the ego of a step-father. The dance of human emotions can entangle us even though we seek a Norman Rockwell-like holiday feast.
I wonder how it went for Mary and Joseph as they were raising Jesus. Did they bicker about how many Hanukkah gifts he would get? Did they celebrate with Mary’s family or go to synagogue with Joseph’s? Did they do a gift exchange with the cousins or draw names? Blending and revising traditions can be delicate. How do we honor the meaning of the past while making room for new expressions of faith to be shared with family and friends?
I was talking with my son recently on the phone. He said, “Last year, after you were done with all three services at church, you and Dad and I poured a drink and sat in front of the fire in the living room until 1:30 in the morning just talking and laughing.” He paused and then said, “THAT, was when Christmas happened.” Sometimes the spirit of God appears in human flesh, not when we plan it but when our best laid plans make room for wonder to invade and love to be born anew.
With grace and peace,
Carla
