Christmas is here! Our second under the spectre of COVID-19 and its seemingly unending variants. And though some traditions have gone the way of the dodo, or at least been shelved for the duration, others have persevered against social distancing, masking and travel difficulties…
I was sitting by myself last night, with all the room lights off, enjoying our little Christmas tree, when a poignant thought came to me: A Christmas tree without decorations is like an empty house – or, more to the point, a fully loaded Christmas dinner table with no diners in the chairs.
My Christmas 2021 lesson…
I learn new things every day. I’ve always been the curious type! But I seldom learn Major Life Lessons anymore. Most of those came to me much earlier in my time on this earth. Nevertheless, I learned last night, watching the lights play over the glossy ornaments, that the big family dinners I remember from my childhood were only as phenomenally special as they seemed thanks to two factors: the traditions everyone involved both expected and respected, and – of course – the people, themselves.
That was when I let myself imagine the long, long trestle table in the dining room at my Dad’s parents’ house with no one seated around it. I thought, “That’s why nobody takes a picture of the festive table before the guests sit down.” It’s really about who’s there, not what’s on the menu.
Dickens got it right…
I think that’s what Charles Dickens was saying at the climax of A Christmas Carol: no matter how humble the Cratchits or their abode, gathering the family and friends – even including reformed curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge – together for a festive feast is what really makes the holiday special. Not to play down the obvious point of the iconic novella, that the Christmas Spirit (ghostly or otherwise) can transform even the crustiest old goat and the most downtrodden members of society into joyful, thankful revelers.
And at the centre of that message, the almost magical power of the festive table to make it all happen.
So, in closing this Christmas thought, I think it’s fitting to paraphrase Tiny Tim:
“Food bless us, everyone!”
~ Maggie J.