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The Reason for the Season

This whole year has been unprecedented. With so much uncertainty, nothing seems the same anymore, least of all Christmas when the usual, joyful gatherings of friends and family have to be limited. I’ve recently started to wonder—what is Christmas, really?

As a child growing up in Trivandrum, Christmas was about spending time with family and friends, new clothes, special food, and going to early morning mass (in those days midnight mass had not yet caught on). After I got married and moved to Bangalore, we spent every Christmas in Coonoor, at my husband’s family home. There, we enjoyed my mother-in-law’s special roast and flambéed plum pudding with brandy butter sauce every Christmas Eve. My Decembers continued to be filled with faith, hope, and love.

As our kids grew older, we decided to start celebrating Christmas in Bangalore. We would begin the month with a setting-up-the-Christmas-tree party in the first week of December. Around 30–40 children would come home and help us decorate our tree, complete with high tea and lots of frolic and fun.

Every weekend in December has always been packed with parties. In playing host and guest at multiple events, the month has become all about gifting, receiving gifts, attending parties, dressing up, and most of all, eating, late nights, groggy mornings; rinse and repeat. There is always faith, hope, and love in the air.

The baking of the Christmas cake has long been the other big December event. At one point, I would muddle through cake making in December. But soon, I began to see it as an art that needed time. For some time now, I have been soaking the fruit in rum a whole year ahead, to make the cake even better.

Along the way, I began to think deeper about the season and Christmas—well past the gifts, parties, decorations, and cake. In all the rush to bake the perfect cake and fix the right date and create the guest list for the party, I started feeling like I had lost out on the real meaning of Christmas. December 25 is the day that Jesus Christ—not the day for Santa Claus or his elves—was born; it’s not just a day for throwing or attending the biggest party. It is a reason for faith, hope, and love.

This past year, 2020, was one in which a great part of the population across the world lost hope, joy, and loved ones. It has been a difficult year for many. So what happens to December? Through it all, the reason for the season has not changed; Christ was still born on Christmas day. He is the very reason for faith, hope, and love. So we will celebrate Christmas this year, not for the fun and frivolity, but for the faith, hope, and love Christ promises.

‘He came so that we may have life and have it abundantly’ (John 10:10b).

Despite the fact that many of our plans and dreams failed to materialise this year, it’s time to look forward. Go forth and spread faith, hope, and love!