For most people, the Christmas season trumps politics. My children and grandchildren are gathering without me in Salt Lake, but I’m still in Washington – I have to be here to vote against the health care bill on Christmas Eve. It seems President Obama is determined to give everyone a tax hike for Christmas – unless, of course, you live in Nebraska or Louisiana.
But there will be plenty of time enough to worry about that later. Christmas is busy enough without any added stress. Yet, ironically, it’s often the most difficult Christmases that we remember with the most fondness.
I can remember one Christmas season, nearly thirty years ago now, when my wife Joyce decided to put on a production of Amahl and the Night Visitors at church. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this show, it’s a one-hour opera that was made for television, back when the networks were still open to the idea of broadcasting openly religious programming.
The opera recounts the story of Amahl, a poor shepherd boy living outside of Bethlehem who, in the course of an evening, receives three royal visitors – the Wise Men on the way to visit the newborn Christ child. It has become something of a Christmas classic and is produced regularly this time of year, although it’s usually beyond the “roadshow” scope of church congregations our size.
Joyce served as musical director of the show, and she drafted me into service as director of the whole production. I also played one of the Three Kings. It was quite a challenge to pull this show together, given the fact that we had no budget, an all-volunteer cast, and I had a full-time job and six young children who demanded quite a lot of attention. At times, it seemed impossible, and I wasn’t sure if we’d have anything ready to present to an audience by opening night.
Yet, somehow, we pulled it off.
And now, anytime I hear a song from that show, I’m instantly transported back to a simpler time, and I remember the friends and associations of Christmases past. I know that life wasn’t necessarily any easier then than it is now, but Christmas memories tend to grow sweeter as time passes.
We all face struggles and challenges; we all deal with pain and loss. That’s why I’m very grateful for the spirit of this season. It’s a welcome reminder that, in the end, the joy is what we remember best.
Merry Christmas.
A simpler Christmas was definitely part of our past back when the children were small. Recent Christmases have no decorations, no Christmas tree or other reminders that we can put out. We still have the music and DVDs of Christmas that help bring the spirit of the season. Plus the sweet spirits of our children no matter how destructive they are, makes it all worth it.