It will be here before you know it. The Christmas season means so many very different things to so very many people. I will add that much of it is not good. How could it be that the remembrance of the coming of the Christ Child could evoke in so many such bad feelings. I find that reality such a terribly sad thing. There is nothing sad about the Christ, nor about his remembrance, his birthday … the day we humans have decided is his birthday.
Maybe if we were to celebrate Christmas daily, yes, every day of the year then there would be no sadness about it. The whole concept would not hurt so many people. Oh, I know that it does. Yes, it does indeed. It is exclusionary, leaves many out, something often done with distain. Probably meant to hurt others. And yet everything about the “Good News” is just that … good. So why does the birth of Christ bring pain to so many? Oh, right! It is the human element. Yes, it is we humans who make Jesus a sad and miserable entity for so many. But how? How could that be? Are we Christians so incredibly stupid as to believe it is “our way” or the highway? I have seen in my day, seen so many Christians who actually wish to “pummel” Christ into people. My understanding of religions is that they were initially designed by God (before being bastardized by man) as languages given to the different cultures by God so that God and the culture could communicate. So what is there to fight about? Nothing! So if you celebrate this season with Christ … Merry Christmas! And if you celebrate this season as a Wiccan, as many do, blessed be! Let us all celebrate together, sharing the goodness and joy of the season.
noh where 
so true it is the human element…not of christ but the people that follow him…or say they do…take any god and mix in followers and you get a mess…the message changes….i think rising above our differences…appreciating one another for who or what we are…and letting it be a season of love is wonderful thing…smiles…shalom liz.
yes…sharing the goodness and joy of the season is a good thing… sometimes i’m a bit sad about how far we moved away from what it was originally thought to be… and here is where the mixed emotions come in…but i’m all for looking beyond our own fences and stretch out hands to celebrate together… merry christmas to you liz
I live in a country where it’s ok to wish anybody Merry Christmas, even a Muslim or a Hindu friend or colleague and they would wish back the same. To most it’s just a public holiday that celebrates the spirit of giving. Sure we know where it comes from but it’s generally a given someone wishes you Merry Christmas, you wish them back. Unless there’s something seriously wrong with your head. (I know it’s different in other parts of the world, so I’m speaking for my side.) Christmas is generally a time when people seem nicer to each other, whatever their beliefs are. It’s just nice to have that atmosphere because people here are generally too busy and rushy to be nice most times.
It’s far too long since I’ve celebrated Christmas the “Christian” way. Personally, I see it as a time to reflect and appreciate on the good things that I’ve received in the past year and to hope better for the new year.
Merry Christmas, elder Raven. 🙂
A lovely post, Liz.
Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2014.
Very thoughtfully written, Liz. I wish you a wonderful holiday and a wonderful new year!
Merry Christmas and Blessed Be, indeed , my friend. I look forward to reading many more of your wise words in 2014.
So often, Liz, I sense the compassion Jesus has for us in spite of our bent and twisted interpretations of his message long ago. Those of us who can pick up his messages now do have an opportunity to skillfully share them. For example, non-judgement is the theme now for this beloved ol’ planet.
So here we go, my Raven friend. I’ll be working to catch myself and I know it’ll be much more frequent than I dare hope.
Maybe not “stupid”, just humanly short sighted. Perhaps one of the secret blessings of Christmas is that is time limited. We get to see that all is transient, even our ideas about what is best. Raven, there is room for both joy and sorrow, within ourselves, and between us, if not in the culture at large.