Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.- Washington Irving
I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time when men and women seem to open their hearts freely, and so I say, God bless Christmas!- Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
I have always loved Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It's classic, short, British, and has overwhelming depth along with a lighthearted Christmas spirit that I truly believe anyone can enjoy. I read it every year around this time, and this year is no different. It brings to me thoughts that should encompass a person at this time of year, keeping in mind the less fortunate as well as those who really hold meaning in our lives. As you may know, in the first chapter of this heartwarming and honest tale, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Upon Scrooge deeming him a good business man in life, Marley so vehemently replied, "Business! Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business." How powerful a sentiment is that? I believe it is not only suitable for this time of year, but all year 'round and it particularly resonates with me, as it should with us as a nation, after the dreadful shooting that recently took place in Newtown, Connecticut. May God bring peace and hope to those families, especially at this time of year when loss seems to be magnified beyond our comprehension. The common good is our business, as Marley said. Sometimes I believe we lose sight of that. Although these are trying times, the holiday season still brings warmth to me and I continue to see the affect it has on society. Irving spoke of "hospitality in the hall" and "charity in the heart" which I believe crops up in unusual places and unexpected ways this time of year. The society of relatively warm and hospitable Southerners, among whom I reside, become even more warm and friendly, and the words "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" hang in the air, even in department stores and large retail centers where the hustle and bustle of this season can make anyone jaded and cross. There are more smiles to be seen and shared, and it seems that they spread a little more quickly. One characteristic of the South at yuletide is that it's full of people wishing for white Christmases and never getting them, a fact we've come to terms with, but still hold out hope for change. (With the threat of global climate change, I don't really think our chances are getting better, but I hope along with everyone else.) "It's not Christmas if the snow don't fall," - Mistletoe. Wrong Colbie Caillat. Although it can be colder here than a witch's titty in a brass bra (as my Daddy always says), I don't believe I've ever seen a white Christmas in southwest Arkansas, and I'm pretty sure we still celebrated with all the joy and cheer of those lucky snow covered northern states. We also make more food per family than any family can reasonably eat, but I'm not sure that's something the South is singularly guilty of. I will be partaking in not one, but two full-fledged Christmas meals this year and I'm working on an exercise schedule in advance. Food is one of my favorite parts of the season, and holiday weight is my least favorite. Spare me the contradiction. As a Southerner who was raised in the Christian faith, as many of us are known to have been here in the Bible belt, I have many fantastic memories of church related celebrations at Christmas time. I have participated in too many Christmas carols and live nativities to count, as well as gatherings and parties with the nearest and dearest to celebrate the faith we share. All held together by prayer, hot cider and cocoa, and gift giving. It's a warmth that soothes to my very bones and has anchored a feeling of happiness for me this time of year. Because of my faith, my connection to Christmas goes back to the birth of Jesus and the gift he brought to the world. Hope is that gift, and the bleakness of the world would overcome me without it. I think that regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas for religious reasons, as I do, or because it is a tradition worldwide, or if you celebrate another holiday this time of year, there is a warmth to society that exudes from us because this time of year is special. Particularly so here in my dear South. This year, Christmas has an added bonus as we are celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary of my beloved grandparents. 50 years! I cannot fathom a marriage, much less a lifetime of 50 years. They are and have been a true rock in my life, and continue to set an example that I would be proud to follow through life. I was blessed with two sets of grandparents and one set of great grandparents who have been present and strong examples through my life. They have shown upstanding character and provided visions of what marriage was intended to be, which is refreshing in a society of 50% plus divorce rates and broken homes. Families are capable of growing and changing when they're broken, not always resulting in disfunction and sorrow as we sometimes perceive, but I do hope that any marriage I might have in the future is never plagued by divorce and dissension. My grandparents give me reason to maintain that hope. And there it is again, that word hope. Tonight, as I head out to distribute candy canes and collect donations for the Make A Wish Foundation, I have a splendid Christmas Eve ahead of me. Perhaps I will help deliver hope to a family who desperately needs it. And that is really what Christmas is about, isn't it? How lucky am I to get to spend it south of the Mason-Dixon line with my Southern family? Blessed beyond belief. In general and historically speaking, people seem to be a little kinder, happier, warmer, and more compassionate this time of year. At least they do here in my Southern home. I hope they do wherever y'all are as well. And may you have hospitality in your halls, and love in your heart this Christmas, and I say "God Bless it!"
