As we enter the Christmas season, I confess that each year I set out to reflect on the “true meaning of Christmas” and consciously put it into practice in my daily life. But I have never really evaluated how successful I have been at that. As the calendar turns the page to December 1, I rapidly get caught up in the flurry of activities leading up to what, for some people, is the biggest holiday of the year. The first few weeks of December fly by with
shopping, decorating, baking, and last minute sewing projects as well as many social engagements and more time with family. It all culminates in the last rush on Christmas Eve wrapping gifts into the wee hours of the morning. Then, after a few hours sleep, rising early, I start preparations for Christmas brunch and dinner before the family arrives. Some years we manage to get to a church service and other years I will spend a few quiet moments in thanks for all that the season brings and acknowledging the birth of Christ. After a family day together, much laughter, good food, and everyone then heading home to get little ones to bed, I often sit for a few minutes reflecting on the day, grateful for the beautiful time we had together. Then, I realize that my good intentions to really live the “true meaning of Christmas” feel like they have gone down the drain with the last of the leftover gravy from our Christmas Day feast. I always feel I could have done better. Does any of that sound familiar to you? Or have you learned to masterfully maneuver around the most commercialized holiday of the year?
Let me back up to what I mean by the “true meaning of Christmas.” Where did the phrase even come from? Apparently, it originated in the mid eighteen century when there was a cultural shift towards Santa Claus and gift giving and away from the birth of Christ. An early definition of the “true meaning of Christmas” can be found in The American Magazine in 1889: (Source: Wikipedia)
“…to give up one's very self – to think only of others – how to bring the greatest happiness to others – that is the true meaning of Christmas.”
The meaning was illustrated earlier in 1843 in the very popular story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens where the miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge learns a lesson in opening his heart to give to others. It was later also the theme in the well known 1950’s children’s story A Charlie
Brown Christmas. When Charlie Brown was overwhelmed with the commercialism of Christmas, his friend Linus reminded him about the true meaning of Christmas by reciting the story of the Annunciation to the shepherds. He ended his recital with “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957) also illustrated the theme when the residents of Whoville still celebrated the joy of Christmas together despite the Grinch stealing all their gifts, etc.
In our home, the three stories
above are a tradition. I have an almost insatiable need to watch them even if it means wrapping gifts to the original black and white version of A Christmas Carol at midnight on Christmas Eve. I think it is because those stories help me recapture the feelings they elicit as well as the bond with others they illustrate – “to bring the greatest happiness to others,” to experience “great joy”, to experience “peace, good will towards others”. They help me reclaim what this beautiful season felt like in the innocence of childhood.
As a child, the Christmas season felt mysteriously special to me. In school, we reviewed the story of baby Jesus’ birth. We learned that the Virgin Mary had been told by Archangel
Gabriel that she was going to have a baby. We learned about Mary and Joseph travelling and there being “no room at the inn” so they had to stay in a stable and that was where Jesus was born. We learned about the shepherd and the three wise men visiting the new family. It all felt so magical, serene, and very holy. Later, as a teen, I remember feeling what a special blessed time it was as we walked to midnight church service with huge snowflakes silently falling around us softening the only sound in the night, the crunch of our boots in the snow. I often think back to that time trying to recapture the serenity I felt in my soul. Is that peace? Have you had similar experiences?
As youngsters in the early grades, we were all excited to play a part in various nativity scenes in our Christmas concert. I remember how happy I was singing Christmas carols loudly on stage with my classmates. Later, as a young adult, I recall the happiness of contributing to hampers for families in need. My heart warms every time I remember the squeals of delight and excited hugs from our children when they were little as they gleefully unwrapped gifts on Christmas morning. Is that joy? Can you recall your feelings of joy and what brings joy to you?
Throughout my life finding the perfect gift for others made me happy and excited. It felt good to be part of the choir at school, the congregation at church, the family at Christmas dinner. The connection to others felt stronger then. Focusing on the story of Christmas was always the priority. It was the reason for all the other experiences to occur. I think it was such a wonderful time because I was living the “true meaning of Christmas.”
Why is it so important for me to experience the “true meaning of Christmas” even more so today? The peace, joy, and bond with others are part of the unconditional love we experience
as children of the Divine and the connection we have with God\Source\the Universe and each other. The story of Jesus’ birth, as well as many other stories in the Bible and in other religions, remind us of the peace and joy we experience when we open our hearts to giving and receiving unconditional love. In turn, we have reminders throughout our cultures as illustrated in the three examples above. However, throughout my adulthood, the distractions of every day life seemed to wedge themselves between me and the “true meaning of Christmas.” Definitely I have had moments of joy and peace over the years but they would be short lived as I let the “list of things to do” take priority. Is that something you can relate to?
As our world has been increasingly chaotic, the last three years especially, I think we can easily experience everyday distractions from the “true meaning of Christmas.” Worries about health, supply chain, finances, the environment, etc. can pull us away from the simple joys we can live every day. Relationships have been severely negatively impacted – loved ones lost through sickness and death; severed ties with family and friends due to differing opinions and beliefs; communities turned against one another based on political ideology; governments alienated from the citizens they are to be serving; countries at war. All these situations are steeped in grief, fear, and hatred. Over the last three years humanity has faced its biggest challenges and opportunities to overcome these low vibrational emotions with respect, understanding and love. Embracing the true meaning of Christmas, bringing about peace and joy through unconditional love for one another has never been more important than it is now.
The more people truly embody this Season of Peace, the brighter the world will be for everyone. Remembering a quote from the movie, Miracle on 34th Street, “Oh Christmas just isn’t a day. It’s a frame of mind,” we can start with small things that we can all manage:
Smile. Start with smiling at yourself in the mirror in the morning – you deserve that warm greeting. Keep smiling at everyone you meet that day. Look them in the eye and give them the gift of your warm, caring smile. You will both feel the connection and it will feel good.
Start your day with a few minutes (maybe15) of giving yourself the gift of peace. Sit quietly without interruptions and focus inward. If lists or things to do or issues you are dealing with start to crowd your mind, just thank them for asking for attention but tell them ‘not right now’ and allow them to float away. Breathe deeply. Allow your body to relax – do a quiet inventory of you body head to toe, telling each area to relax. Appreciate the quiet or remember a beautiful, serene place that you have experienced before. Allow your heart to open. Feel the serenity of just “being.” When you are ready, take another deep breath and slowly ready yourself for the day. Keep that serenity in your heart and carry it through the activities of the day. It will make the day much easier and it will be contagious!
Let your heart open to the joy of the season. Receive the joy offered by others and give from the heart. Hold onto that incredible feeling as long as you can and duplicate it as much as possible.
Cast aside judgement, fear, suspicion, and making assumptions. Approach every day with genuine respect and compassion for others. Let it show in your actions – opening a door, shovelling a neighbour’s walk, or simply wishing someone a good day. Jesus, as well as all the Ascended Masters such as Buddha, Lakshmi, Krishna, Mother Mary, Kali-Ma, Quan Yin, Sanat Kumarat, Lord Shiva, and many others lived their lives like this – with love and compassion.
Approach any challenges with the knowledge that you’ve got this. There are always solutions and things to learn along the way. Sometimes it takes reaching out to someone else to assist with the solution. That is because they are meant to help and learn as well. Remember that the Universe always has a plan that is orchestrated for your highest good.
Practice gratitude as much as you can. You might want to compose a gratitude list at the beginning or end of the day – do it in your head, journal it or sing it! Feel the joy and gratitude in your heart. It is not just doing a mental exercise. Alternatively, you can express gratitude throughout the day – verbally, in writing or just in your thoughts.
Reach out to others. Everyone benefits from human to human connection. We are all connected energetically but many can only feel physical connection. You can reach out in person or through technology. When that is not possible reach out with your thoughts – send love and compassion. The other person will feel it. They may not know why they suddenly feel better or where the feeling is coming from but they will feel it.
Celebrate the season and what it symbolizes. Whether the seasonal celebrations align with your religious beliefs or not, allow yourself to celebrate the peace and joy the season brings.
Extend your peace, joy, and love to all of humanity, to all living creatures, to the Earth and the universe we reside in. For at least a few minutes each day capture the feeling of love in your heart. Let it expand – picture it is radiating out from your heart to your family, then your community, then your city, country, continent, the world, the universe. Sit with that as long as you wish – every second helps. The love you send out will create peace and joy for others – there is a ripple effect.
A last word about love. Make your love unconditional – without conditions or limitations – today and every day. In our world and especially during this season, we see many examples of love, or expressions of love based on conditions. For example, “if you are a good child, Santa will bring you a gift.” The entire concept of Santa’s “naughty or nice list” is opposed to unconditional love. Our social construct of control (reward and punishment) takes us away from unconditional love and learning through natural consequences. For some, during this season, reward and punishment is enacted through giving or withholding of gifts and social invitations. This season is a good opportunity to step away from those conventions if you haven’t already. If you have, then perhaps you can assist others to do the same. Each day challenge yourself to really feel unconditional love for others. It is easy for young children who are adept at giving us unconditional love. Nothing makes my heart melt and fill with joy more than a simple hug and an unsolicited “grandma, I love you” from my grandchildren. They can teach us so much and it is so easy to love them back unconditionally.
As you open your heart to love others it helps to remember that we don’t know their whole
story, we don’t know their soul’s purpose or soul contracts. We only know about them what we see or have assumed. Giving unconditional love can only benefit us and them. There may be negative emotions to cast aside to feel that unconditional love for someone else so don’t judge yourself. Most of us have a long lifetime of experiences based in judgement and fear that we need to overcome. If this is your case, remember that we can always ask Spirit for help. Who is more acquainted with unconditional love than Spirit!? We are recipients of Spirit’s unconditional love continuously. Unfortunately, some of us have become insensitive to feeling it because, consciously or subconsciously, we have judged ourselves as not worthy of it. But you are worth it! When you open your heart to receiving that love from Spirit you will know when you feel it. Personally, when I feel the love from my Guides and Angels all I can do is cry – the feeling of love is so overwhelming!
Lastly, a quick coincidental note. According to numerology, this December is a “9 global month”. The circle part of the number 9 represents Divine wisdom, love, compassion, and healing. The line part of the number 9 shows us that all the circle’s qualities are reaching down to our global village. (Source: Vikki MacKinnon, Numerologist). The Universe is definitely supporting us to heal old patterns and move towards the “true meaning of Christmas”!
So, as we move through this beautiful season, I hope you are able to experience and share peace, joy, and unconditional love. Before I close, I would like to share some inspirational Christmas quotes that reflect today’s newsletter and hopefully will bring you a little joy: (Source: Today – 75 best Christmas quotes to spread holiday cheer far and wide)
“Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.” – Edna Ferber
“I will honour Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all year long.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
“Christmas, my child is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” Dale Evans Rogers
“There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.” – Kahlil Gibran, On Giving
“Christmas magic is silent. You don’t hear it. You feel it. You know it. You remember it.” – Kevin Alan Milne, The Paper Bag Christmas
“Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.” – Dr. Seuss
“This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas as am I. Just remember the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.” – Santa Claus, The Polar Express
Lots of love and hugs,
Marilyn
Resources
If you would like to learn more about some of the ideas discussed above, here are a few resources I have found helpful:
Authors:
Divine Masters, Ascended Wisdom by Kyle Gray
Websites:
For more information about the numerology of this month see Vikki Mackinnon, a gifted numerologist, on Facebook
Intuitive Counselling and Angel Card Readings
If you have the need a helping hand to find peace, joy, and unconditional love I am offering intuitive counselling and angel card readings online or in person (in Calgary).
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