Reflections on Christmas

Thursday, December 26, 2024

I watched A Charlie Brown Christmas on Christmas Eve afternoon, as I do each year. I say ”each year,” though it is a fairly new tradition for me, perhaps stretching back to a few years before the COVID outbreak. I find that this short animation touches the Christmas spirit on so many levels. Whatever your experience of Christmas, I think that you will find it within this annual tradition.

I was reflecting on the Peanuts' Special as I navigated through yesterday. “Navigate” feels like an appropriate word, for although I am now established in traditions that I did not grow up with, as I shared here somethings that we do as a family on Christmas Day still feel out of place to me. This in turn brings up a raft of emotions - sadness, happiness, gratitude, disconnected, wanting to be along and reflect, feeling blue.

Going through Christmas Day I have a couple of traditions that I sneak in in between other things going on. They are welcomed as part of my British quirkiness, and I am grateful for being able to include them in my own celebrations. They make the day more whole for me.

Still I find Christmas a funny time of year. “Funny” perhaps is the wrong word. Maybe trying or uncomfortable are a better fit? I welcome the season, and at the same time I wish that it would just be over. I enjoy what for me is its essential message - peace, goodwill, family and friends coming together. I miss old traditions, I’m thinking because they give me a cellular memory of warmth, safety, happiness and family. At the same time, I could happily retreat to a remote mountain cabin and be by myself for a few days.