Christmahanakwanza

Ahhh. The Winter Holidays are upon us. Whether you prefer Solstice, Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanza, or another holiday of your choice is irrelevant. The important thing is to have some kind of coming together with your family, friends or community to acknowledge the turning point of the year, to share food and resources. To check up on how our neighbors are surviving the winter. And to step outside of daily chores to pause and consider the year that is passing away and where we want to go in the coming spring.

This year I did not choose to celebrate the whole crazy Christmas scene, and I have enjoyed it immensely. Christmas Eve I sat alone in my apartment enjoying the vast silence and solitude since my busy and emotionally energetic roommate had left for the week. Tonight I am at the home of some friends who are also not having an official celebration. Instead we are doing homey things in a group with one of their visiting neighbors. I am applying myself to homework, and job hunting and using their internet. My friends are making homemade pizza, fruit cake, and puddings while entertaining the lost and lonely neighbor. This is one of my main hang outs since I don’t have to buy anything to utilize the campus internet, and often get fed since they love to feed people.

Listening to classic rock on the radio, we all just sort of relax and do our own thing. This is my kind of Christmas! It’s could be any other day except the stores are closed. But there is a certain festivity in the air that is almost tangible and I have to wonder if it’s the residual energy from everyone else’s special day, and the happiness hanging in the air, or if its because the days are already getting a bit longer. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we are all taking time out from our usual day to day business to spend time with each other doing whatever we do, and not having the demands of work, or regular weekend chores upon us.

Let’s reflect a moment. What about my previous observation that we overlook important events and normalize them? I still think we should make the time and effort to create a sense of ceremony and celebration instead. I haven’t changed my mind, however I want to freely choose what I lend importance to rather than have an ego-capitalistic society decide for me. I like some things about Christmas but removing the gift giving component entirely has made for far happier holidays all the way around. Now if we could get Christmas music toned down in public places everyone would be much Jollier. I would like to revert to themes of Happy Holidays and just be glad that everyone can do something that has meaning for them, rather than demanding that it’s the same something.

Here’s wishing you peace, love, warmth, and the brilliant happiness of hearth and home. I toast you with my fruit juice and a raspberry filled butter cookie. Happy Holidays of your choice. Enjoy it however you choose. Be creative, be insightful, lend meaning to what has true meaning for you and throw dogma out the window.