Christmas seems like a place entirely of its own. It is a town we live in from mid November till New Year's day. It's a place we create that has constantly sunny skies, smiling, congenial neighbours, pleasant holiday music, a crisp chill in the air that warrants the use of a colourful scarf, hat and matching mittens. It is a place where everyone gets what they wish for, Christmas is spent with the ones we love and the whole experience is tied up beautifully with a coordinating ribbon. Try as hard as we may, we can not always remain in this place but we do everything we can to get back there with fierce determination. Like a dream that we are strangely aware of dreaming, we fight to succumb to it's delicious abandon even though we know we can not stay asleep for ever.
Reality of life has a way of punching through that dream now and again to remind us that mittens get holes, sunny skies turn to rain, neighbours get cranky and loved ones are not always able to be with us even though the annual Christmas card picture would have been more complete with them by our sides. And yet we feel compelled to decorate our front doors, light the mantle candles, baste the turkey and don our finest and brightest in preparation for the big day.
How do we live our lives in the moment, acknowledging the fact that friends get sick, our parents are graying and forgetful, children are facing issues in their lives we did not have to deal with, while at the same time allowing the sweet smell of fresh cut Christmas trees to take us to that place that only your favourite Christmas carol can?
Finding this balance is not only the answer to how to reconcile Christmas in our very real lives, it is also the answer to how to reconcile the good and the ugly of every single day. The welcoming of new possibilities, of nurturing innocence and promise among cynicism and despair, of allowing hope to take root in our hearts and to celebrate each day for the chance it affords us to make these choices is the prescription given to us by sages and enlightened minds. The trick is, finding a way to do it that has meaning to us.
While I shop for those last minute gifts and bake those last batches of cookies, I will think of those who will not be with us this Christmas while I listen to their favourite carols, I will hope for new beginnings for those starting down new paths and I will keep reminding myself and all those that will listen that Christmas is a state of mind and you can visit there even in mid July.
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