Early Excuses for Christmas Joy

There was something different today. I passed a lady on the street as I often do on my morning walks. Sometimes she walks alone. Other times she is walking her son to school. Today she was accompanied by a large puppy pulling exuberantly on a leash. It made me smile because it looked as though the puppy were taking her for a walk. And so I said more than our usual “Good morning. ” I added, “Looks like you have added a new member to your family.”

She stopped, paused; obviously thinking hard, as she translated her language into English. “Children. …Puppy…. Gift given.” she smiled. Those words told all. “Oh,” I replied. “And Mom gets to take care of the puppy.” She understood and nodded enthusiastically. Our smiles turned to laughter as we shared a common bond of motherhood: Gifts of animals for children often mean work for Mom.

What made this encounter meaningful to me was how few words were necessary to communicate our common humanity. And that reminded me of something I love about this season. I enjoy the way people are often more willing to be friendly. The larger the urban area the less likely people normally are to acknowledge each other as they pass on a city street. But at Christmastime, people seem to give themselves permission to be kind, open, even friendly.

My daughter has always laughed at me for playing Christmas music so early in the season. She set a rule for me, “Mom,” she teased one recent November, “you must wait until the day after Thanksgiving to start playing Christmas music.” But this year her new husband played Christmas music early in November. And so did I.

I was afraid it might cause me to neglect Thanksgiving Day: mudging the holidays together. But instead, I find that my thanksgiving to God for all his blessings moves right into my desire to give and receive Christmas joy.

And so I choose again this Thanksgiving/Christmas season to put aside the controversy about how we greet one another and instead, share Christmas by being a little more open, a little friendlier, a little kinder on the street, at home, at church, at the market, and at places of business. Merry Christmas…Happy Holidays … Happy Advent... Joy to the World!