Have Yourself a “Real Christmas”!

‘Tis the season for celebrating the most capitalised religious holiday! Deck your halls and fuel the economy with gifts for your loved ones and yourself. Jesus’s birth may have been in October but with snow all around … what an opportunity missed if not colonised for a religious occassion: Christmas, an annual global farce!

Its been 26 years of celebrating Christmas both near and apart, but for the first time, I’ll be celebrating an honest Christmas.

So that means, there is no Christmas tree that’s lit to create an illusion of light and happiness , the decorations that would usually hide the cracks of our pain is still in its box —This year, I don’t have the energy to make it seem like all is well for one day of the year. In fact, the thought of celebrating Jesus’ birth over booze and uncle jokes (South asian) truly makes this holiday a whole other day.

The truth is, a celebratory party for a Holy one is not going to drive out the darkness that’s been enveloping our hearts and our beings . Carols may fill the air and gifts may be exchanged but some of us are like gifts wrapped — looking so merry and bright but are simply empty inside.

It’s a not so merry Christmas in my house. The Church has both helped and ruined what used to be a home. While some organised religious institutions may have good intent most of them are so spiritually disconnected. One cannot shoo away childhood traumas with prayers alone, one cannot achieve great things with Faith alone. Falling into the religion’s rabbit hole is a trip longer than one stamp — a trip you got to consciously choose to get out of.

religion has erased our connection with the Spirit to make us think we need an institution for God to hear our prayers. So maybe Christmas during a pandemic is exactly what we needed!

It is finally time to cut through the noise of this annual farce: A time to connect with the Spirit and not just man.

Have yourself a Real Christmas!