By Odette Katrak –
Christmas is round the corner yet again; everywhere you see Christmas trees, shiny tinsel, decorations, stars, shelves bursting with goodies… Malls in most cities compete for the most spectacular Christmas tree, while children crowd around a jolly Santa Claus. And of course, the strains of Jingle Bells put that special Christmas feel in the air.
What is significant is that Christmas is no longer a Christian festival. Today many families put up Christmas trees, every apartment has its own Christmas celebration and Christmas good cheer is all pervasive at this time of the year. Celebrating Christmas however is much more than Christmas trees, Santa Claus, gifts, food stalls, binging and merrymaking. With all the material trappings now associated with this great feast, the true meaning of Christmas is often forgotten. And honest confessions are that many of us are so busy cleaning and decorating our homes, buying the right gifts, preparing homemade Christmas cake and goodies or planning our big Christmas lunch that we may not really go beyond this, to get into the true spirit of Christmas.
A few years ago, I was helping at a stall selling old clothes at our church Christmas fair in Gurgaon. Those who thronged the stall could never afford to buy new clothing – for them, this was the chance of a lifetime. A young mother carrying a baby bought twenty items worth Rs.10 each – she had just assembled her baby’s entire wardrobe! Standing shyly nearby was her older daughter. “Aunty, mere liye jeans milega?” she asked me with longing eyes. A huge challenge to find a specific item in that crowd, but I asked someone to rummage. Ten minutes later, I handed over a pair of jeans, having paid Rs 20 myself, an amount which meant nothing to me but a fortune to her. The joy that lit her eyes and the grateful ‘thank you aunty’ did something to me. I guiltily thought of the many forgotten clothes, shoes languishing in my children’s cupboard, often outgrown after being worn just a few times. And it suddenly hit me how much more joy the season would hold if they could reach some underprivileged child during this special season, rather than just getting randomly passed down, often to people who could easily afford their own clothes.
For the last few years, a practice adopted by a church of Immaculate Conception in Gurgaon is to ask the poorest children in surrounding areas and orphanages, what gift they would like for Christmas. At the start of December, a tree is put up on which these ‘wishes’ are hung in white envelopes. Anyone can pick an envelope and bring the gift within the next fortnight. When these children receive their gifts, it is as touching an occasion as that little girl’s smile when she held her ‘new’ old jeans.
Maybe it is time to reflect on what Christmas is really all about. It is about the birth of a baby, which brings with it joy and hope. A baby born to a poor family in the shabbiest of dwellings, whose first visitors were humble shepherds. What better reminder do we need then that Christmas is not just about exchanging gifts or sweets with friends and family, but spreading that joy to those whose poverty means they cannot enjoy some of life’s simplest pleasures – like the joy an old pair of jeans can bring to a sweet little girl. So if you really want to celebrate Christmas, do more than just put up a tree this holiday season but get deeper into it – there are many simple ways to bring the true Christmas spirit into your home.
The three kings brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Frankincense is the essence of peace, myrrh is the incense of joy and gold represents the gift of goodwill to all men. Christmas then is a time of peace, joy and goodwill. It is a time of peace – so reach out to anyone you have had a misunderstanding with and mend bridges. It is a time of hope – the hope that a new-born babe brings. There are so many underprivileged children out there – reach out and give them hope. You could start by teaching your maid’s children to read and write, give them books, uniforms or help with their education.
Christmas is a time of giving. You could donate to organisations that educate underprivileged children. Or make a bag of clothes, toys, books and head to one of your city’s many orphanages. Items that your children don‘t even remember they possess will be welcomed by children who have never cuddled a teddy bear. Or you could give of your time. Visit an old age home with some snacks, sing carols and spread Christmas cheer. Chat with the inmates – see what smiles you will bring to lonely faces. I knew a person who’d collect gifts through the year and gift these to inmates of an old-age home at Christmas – that truly is the spirit of Christmas, better still than donating – which is also a great option for those who lead hectic lives but can still reach out this way.
So yes, Christmas is a time of peace, goodwill, hope, giving and the joy that goes with all of these. Enjoy your holiday for sure, and revel in the peace and joy of reconnecting with family and friends this holiday season, but do take time to go beyond this if you are not already doing so. The next time you see a Christmas star, let it remind you of the joy that you could bring to the sad face of some unfortunate person, in need of food, clothing, shelter or just compassion or a kind word. If you are able to go beyond the merry-making that many believe Christmas is all about, and if you can bring that same joy to other people as I’d seen in that little girl’s eyes, then yes, celebrating Christmas this year would truly mean something to you and your family.
Odette Katrak is a Trainer, Writer & Social change activist now residing in Bangalore. Through her work, she has pushed for change at both the individual as well at societal level, ‘all little steps towards that perfect world!’ in her words. Her efforts have focussed on environment causes, as well as road & child safety. She has written on many subjects, including a column for Times of India. She is co-founder of Beautiful Bengaluru, a citizen’s initiative working towards a clean, green, safe city.