Every home in Guyana will be celebrating Christmas today. For Christians, it is a time for church and prayer but Christmas has become a secular holiday embraced by everyone of every religious faith, and for good reason. The announcement of a birth always brings with it a sense of renewed hope and that of the Holy Prophet Jesus transcends Christianity and gives us all a chance to hope that the peace and goodwill of the holiday season will continue into the new year.
Today new window curtains will flutter in just about every home and mothers everywhere will fuss over new carpets and cushions and over the pots of holiday foods in the kitchen. Children woke up excited to open their presents, and everyone will eat well today because of our charity towards the poor and the homeless.
Much of the secular appeal of the holiday has to do with the commercialisation that includes Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and the tradition of gift giving. Coming at the end of the year, it marks an end to the old and helps us to look forward to a fresh start in 2017.
We all deserve a much-needed break from our holistic despair brought on by the conceits and corruptions of the David Granger Government, and joining the rest of the world in celebrating the festive season offers a perfect respite.
While Christmas is a secular occasion here, it is confined in several countries to being a purely Christian holiday. In China, for instance, Christian children decorate trees with colourful ornaments made from paper and shaped like flowers, chains and lanterns. They hang muslin stockings and hope that Dun Che Lao Ren – that’s “Christmas Old Man” – will fill them with gifts and treats.
In Christian homes in Pakistan, gifts and cards are exchanged, new clothes are worn and friends visited. Christmas day is actually a public holiday there but it is in memory of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.
In Russia, it is Babushka who is the Christmas figure that distributes presents to children. Her name means “grandmother”. According to Russian legend, she did not go with the three wise men to see Jesus because of the cold weather. She regretted her decision, however, and set off to try and catch up with a basket filled with presents for the baby Jesus. She never found the baby but she continues her search and visits each home at Christmas leaving toys for good children.
Christmas in the Holy Land where Christ is believed to have been born is often full of pilgrims who come to celebrate Christmas there and to visit the famous grotto where a14-point Silver Star decorates the floor on the spot where Jesus is said to have been born.
There is a distinct lack of the commercialism of Santa Claus and toys, and Christmas in Bethlehem remains an occasion for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ through prayer and song.
Three Christmas Eves are celebrated in the Holy Land. On 24 December, Roman Catholics and Protestants celebrate in one location, while Greek Orthodox, Coptic, and Syrian Christians celebrate at a second location on 6 January. On 18 January, Armenian Christians celebrate Christmas Eve in their own way, but the birth of Jesus is the common thread that holds the celebrations together.
The traditions of warmth and light at Christmas developed in Scandinavia because of the dark, cold northern winters. The Yule log was originally an entire tree which was cut down and brought indoors and was slowly fed into the fire in the hearth to keep the home warm and lit for the entire season.
Finnish people believe that Santa Claus lives in the north of Finland in a place called Korvanturi or Lapland which is north of the Arctic Circle. Letters to Santa Claus from children all over the world end up there where there is a theme park named “Christmas Land”.
In the tropics, we have embraced the traditions of the decorated Christmas tree, of Santa Claus in his red suit, of sleighs and reindeer and gift-giving, and have added ginger beer and black cake to the mix.
As we celebrate with friends and family today, it will be good to remember the story of the birth and life of the Holy Prophet Jesus who brought a message of peace and hope to the entire world. It is a time for seasonal cheer and goodwill to all men. It is also a time for optimism which is always good for the human spirit.
Merry Christmas!
