Celebrating Christmas

For me, celebrating Christmas is an act of defiance, rebellion, protest.

Not a violent, noisy protest, but a quiet, gentle but persistant sort. I like to think of it as the gentle dripping of a hidden mountain spring finding its way through the rocky hillside.

I rebel with all my heart against the expectations “are you ready for Christmas” meaning have you bought all the presents yet, have you fought your way through lists, crowds, glare and inner voices saying “I should”. So, my answer is No. This is a feminist issue for me, as a daughter, mother and grandmother, spanning generations, class and cultures.

I revel in the quiet defiance having the house in a happy mess of experimental cooking, sticky baking and crazy craft making, of love and kindness and surprises, but on my own terms. I can always pretend these are ancient German traditions that nobody has heard of.

I light my little candle in the darkness of these disturbing current times of turmoil. Despite it all, a defiant little light of peace and hope.

And I know from many years of painful experience that this little light will prevail, survive, and triumph. Just like the Christmas message of the Creator’s Word becoming a fragile little human among us, with us, in us, will quietly persist and live. For joy.