Hello all and happy only 10 sleeps 'til Christmas.
But while we are thinking about that, and all the presents and festivities and turkey we are going to gorge on I think we should spare a moment for the Nativity.
Even if you don't celebrate 'religious' Christmas, perhaps you are more into (to quote Miranda's fictional mum) What I call commercial or Coca-Cola Christmas. The kind that is all about lights and presents and getting together with friends and family to be merry rather than remembering the little baby Jesus.
I am not particularly religious. I don't go to church or pray. And I have nothing whatsoever against people celebrating the non-religious a Christmas. But I do think we need to at least consider the Nativity around this time of year, even if it doesn't have any significant meaning for you.
I think this because that is where Christmas as we know it began. If you believe it, Christmas is a celebration of Christ's birthday. If you don't, well... That's still why we have this Christmas. Pre this, there were Pagan mid winter type festivities, and jolly good fun I'm sure they were and still are. But, my understanding of it is that we needed a convenient festival to tag into to encourage some Christian conversion (I think during the Roman Times).
Yes, over time it had grown and morphed and hulked its way from paying tribute to the gifts the wise men brought to honour little baby Jesus to a mass spend spree that leaves many people reaching for the credit cards and desperately in debt come January. But the story is rather lovely and I think it is worth seeing it just for that. A nice story if nothing else. After all, the Bible has cracked our quite a few good yarns. Noah and Moses come to mind. (Yes I know they weren't a team).
So while your local primary school may have abandoned the Nativty in favour of a Christmas Show why not have a little think about some Shepherds and Wise Men and a young couple improvising somewhere for their little one to have a sleep.
Love Charlotte xx
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