In the very short time I´ve been on this world (well, you know, in historical terms, less than 50 years is just a blip), there´s been a huge change in my immediate environment regarding the celebration of the so called Christmas. I must admit that carols and Santa, and gifts and all that stuff was already there when I realised something was going on, but the whole atmosphere was one of just being together and joyously celebrate the Saviour´s birth (regardless of everyone´s attitude towards the same Saviour the rest of the year, of course).
But things have changed a lot and fast; I still remember how I stood, paralysed with unbelief one morning in Moyobamba, maybe in 91 or 92 seeing a big billboard announcing a “Christmas party” organised with a band called “Los Cuervos” (The Crows), a bunch of local guys (not even kids), who represented the very worst of the town at that time, as their parties were well known by the presence of drugs, debauchery, violence, and its members for a libertine lifestyle. What did they have to do with Christmas? ... nothing to do with Christ, but all to do with all the rest, the mas (which incidentally means "more" in Spanish). I think that in a way I knew that day that Christmas had died in my heart... it would
never be the same.Now of course that´s not an isolated phenomenon; in “my days” Easter was a time of silence, only deep and solemn music in the radio, no cartoons on TV, and although my folks never forbade us to play or anything, it was required that there was some show of respect at home, allegedly for the sufferings of Christ... but we knew that the following Sunday´s expressions of joy would bring the extended family, a big lunch, and the return of a spirit of celebration all over... whereas nowadays, at least here in Colombia we can see people organising their “Easter parties” by buying booze, and drugs and deciding whether they will decide who sleeps with who or it will be just random.
Coming back to the so called Christmas, it´s not that I have always liked it. As a child I had huge expectations about my presents, of course, and I still can remember some wonderful ones I received 40 or so years ago, but i also remember that for some reason or other, sometimes the melancholy around this celebration was overwhelming, and that I never liked, but then again we met with uncles and aunties and cousins and there were fireworks and good food and the festive mood took over and covered the melancholy one... covered it but never doing away with it completely.
All that was alright though; it was manageable and even enjoyable. However, the associations I make with this season these days are almost invariably negative. It´s time again for the city to collapse because of all the public exhibits made with millions of light devices. First it was the avenue that runs along the Medellin river (possibly the most important in the city) that was closed for this purpose, and that was bad enough, but now they are putting that stuff all over the place, and every night from Dec 8 to Jan 15, there are millions of people just walking along seeing the lights, and the streets are closed and any 20 minute journey can become a 2 or 3 hours one.
Then there is all the commercial orgy, as if a demon were constantly shouting in people´s ears: buy buy buy, spend the money you have, the one you don´t have, the money you could hopefully one day have and also spend the one you know never will have, but buy and spend. And be merry... get drunk, get killed, get HIV, get arrested... but do something, the nastier the better, the more outrageous you can!.. and all that in Christ´s name?... please!!And there are the carols... if it is bad in the English-speaking world (don´t tell me you can sing “Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches” without having to repress a wave of nausea... and don´t make me say anything about Jingle Bells, or Rudolph and his very runny nose...). And even Silent Night, with its definitely Christian message, has such a depressing melody that I wonder how can one listen to that over and over and not cut his wrists! Anyway, if it´s bad in English... you should hear the Spanish ones (Spanish in language and in origin) . Those carols, called “villancicos” (something like little tunes from the village... whatever that may mean)... dear me!! Basically, it´s a matter of saying something as meaningless as possible (and we are real masters for that, let me tell you) with a tune as annoying as you can manage, and when they go over and over on the radio, on TV, played by your neighbour very loudly, and as background noise at the supermarket, you wonder if the whole thing was not invented as a torture system...
but there are exceptions of course, and I have just found one sung by Diego Florez with the Vienna Boys Choir (see below).
And we could go on and on; there´s the fat guy laughing as an idiot all the time, the fake snow and reindeers (in a country sitting on the equator, bathed by the Caribbean, for goodness sake!!)... but there´s no need for that, we all know what it´s all about. And I finish by saying that all that present-exchange thing makes me feel terribly uncomfortable too. I don´t mind giving or receiving presents in an on itself, of course... but I fell I need to get out of all this commercial orgy I mentioned above; I need to mark a difference, I need to jump that boat; I want to establish a distance with the merry and drunk crowd that celebrates and burns money and gives less than half a penny for the alleged real reason why we celebrate.
What would I keep other than being thankful for the birth of my Lord ? (who in all probability was born in a very different date, of course). I´d keep it as an occasion for family reunions, for inviting friends over for a special meal, particularly those who could feel lonely in such a time because they are far from their loved ones or do not have many loved ones to speak of... and not much more.
As from now on I won´t say “Merry Christmas”, won´t have anything to do with hanging stuff or decorating for the occasion (well, that I haven´t in years!), and no presents please. If you want to make me a present, do it in any other moment, just give me something one day because you wanted to, because you remembered me and decided to express your appreciation of our friendship, because you got a little extra and wanted to share it with me, or because you thought I might want or need what you are giving me, invent an excuse, create a reason, but not because it´s Christmas time and it´s what everyone is supposed to do.
I wonder why we don´t have in the Scriptures a mandate to celebrate Jesus´s birth, important as the occasion was; he himself commanded us to commemorate his death until he comes again, but did not mention his birth at all. Luke 1:14 says that many will rejoice at his birth, and many did, and surely we do rejoice because his birth fulfilled our only hope for salvation, but let´s listen to what the heavenly host said praising God in 2:14: Glory to God in the highest, and in the earth peace, good will toward men.
Let me shout no to parties, no to mindless accommodation to pagan rituals and traditions, no to brute consumerism... “just” peace and good will toward men... that´s all I want to say to everyone in this time of the year... peace and good will toward men... from God... can there be anything better that that?
