Hail the ancient yuletide carol

It’s the yuletide season once again. The time of the year when a new year is just around the corner, and people are busy in festivities. It makes one think about the cycle of life, which in many ways, is like the cycle of time- happy times, good times, sad times all following up on the other.

I remember, long back we had a Christmas Tree (Aurocaria) in the backyard of our house. It was pretty much an out-of –the way thing to have at our locality in Calcutta those days (more than 20 years back). At Christmas, I would dutifully deck up the tree (even though celebrating Christmas among non-Christian families was not really the “in” thing in those days-the trend was just catching on). Santa wasn’t really that familiar to us then- I imbibed a bit because of my missionary school background. The tree became quite a bit of bonding for me, and in a fit of schoolboy imagination, I even wrote a story linking it to the course of my life! The years passed, and sadly one day, the tree came crashing down, because it had outlived its growth and had to be mowed down since it was growing in an awkward and unsightly way. That was the end of the Christmas Tree for me.

At times , we treat those around us, and probably even ourselves, like that Christmas Tree- “ deck ‘em up” , nurture them , only to let them coming crashing down or “ mow ‘em down" one day. How many of us would have done this with our friends, relatives, lovers, spouses, children, parents? And how many of us are plain rude, indifferent and refuse to acknowledge the troubles of those other than ourselves? “Protective reflex”, “Dog eat dog”, “ Survival of the fittest” , we tell ourselves, and the rest be damned. Is it possible that at least starting at Christmas time, we start showing a little bit of kindness and understanding to those around us?

The best Christmas I ever had was in Mangalore years back, from the Rotaract Club of Mangalore, when we went around from door to door singing Carols. I was Santa that year. Most people were appreciative of our gesture, some were rude to us, but in general, it was a revelation that simply by spending a bit of time spreading merriment, one could really make others happy. It’s quite an experience to stop a passerby passing by on his bike, shake his hand and wish him a “ Merry Christmas.” Try it sometime. It gives you a sense of bonhomie you will never forget!

In Church, at Mass last night, I saw this old, rather lost lady who approached the crowded congregation from the back- there was no place to stand, let alone sit. Suddenly hands were outstretched towards her, she was taken to the front of the crowd, helped to a chair. That, to me, is the true spirit of Christmas. Kindness costs us nothing. Even in this world of the unending rat-race, it is in helping others, to however little extent may be, that we help ourselves. It is in enriching others' lives that we ultimately enrich our own lives.

In his lovely book, “ A Christmas Carol” , Charles Dickens tells us the story of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. This book has been credited with contributing to the growth of the community spirit inherent in Christmas, and restoring the holiday to one of merriment and festivity in Britain and America after a period of sobriety and sombreness. Even the cult movie” Home Alone “touched on the theme of the Christmas spirit, as has the Arnie Schwarzenegger movie “ Jingle all the way.”

Is there just a chance that the Scrooges amongst us may be similarly transformed , by the visit of the Christmas Ghosts or otherwise, this Christmas?

This Christmas, as you shop, and generally have a good time, spare a thought for the spirit of this season- love, kindness and appreciation for all that is good around us. If you have helped anyone or made someone’s life better, with whatever small contribution, you have contributed to the true spirit of Christmas.

Have a great time with your family and friends. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.