Listening to the Message

Forty three years ago A Charlie Brown Christmas was released as a prime-time animated Christmas special and an instant classic was born. I watched that one on VHS two days ago. Later that night, my daughter put in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, itself an animated prime time special in 1966, one year after Charlie Brown's debut. Both shows had a clear message: "Christmas is Not About the Presents."

Charlie Brown asked poignantly about the true meaning of Christmas and was pointed to the story of the Nativity. The Grinch saw his plot to spoil Christmas for the Whos in Whoville by stealing all their presents go down in flames, as the Whos just held hands and sang. "Christmas is about God, hope, fellowship"...this message was deemed important enough to be the theme of two prime time specials, two years in a row, five decades ago. And where have we gone since? For many, we've gone in the opposite direction, and now its time to look at an alternative approach.

At this moment, I'm watching It's a Wonderful Life (released just after WWII ended, in 1946 - 62 years ago!) and that putz Old Man Potter is trying to take over the Bailey Building and Loan - greedy bastard! - and George Bailey keeps on standing up to him, he just keeps on doing the right thing. Gotta love him. You all know how this one ends up - Hark the Herald Angels sing as a room full of friends and family line up to help George out in his time of need (and I choke up every time). The clear message: "Life - and Christmas! - is NOT about material wealth and success - its about friends and fellowship and making a difference through acting in community."

Perhaps the media that started the holiday moralizing in the modern era was Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol, a simple story of material greed v. relationships, and ultimate epiphany leading to redemption and spiritual correction that has been made and remade into so many memorable films and TV stage plays over the years since its original launch in the week before Christmas 1843 (165 years ago). The clear message: "It's not too late to get back to the true meaning of Christmas, which is NOT acquiring wealth and material goods, but celebrating our family and friendship relationships and our blessings."

And yet we hear constant updates about shopping and gift giving, and this year, the failure of the economy and the "worst retail season ever." Good thing or bad thing? As with everything in life, it is neither black or white, but a mass of gray.

With Christmas about to tick over in less than an hour, I want to wish anyone reading this message a wonderful Christmas. Together, we can conquer fear, together, we can restore hope. We've always known this, but we get all hornswaggled when it comes to money and consumption, especially when our lifestyles are threatened, and unless we're careful, we start looking out for our own and say "to hell with everyone else!" Watch out, gifts and getting are tempting!

The NY Times editorial page gets it with When Christmas Comes.

You may be finding a way to a new and simpler Christmas this year, but that was once the usual kind of Christmas. What it comes down to, perhaps, is saving Christmas from the idea that Christmas will save us — that the shopping we do this season will keep the economy afloat or give us the buoyancy we need for the coming year.

But, really, Christmas needs no saving. It does not exist apart from what we make of it. And, on its own, it cannot save us, though it contains the gestures of generosity and thankfulness that are halfway to being a better person, a richer community. Christmas is all the better for being a simple place, nothing more, perhaps, than two red cardinals, male and female, against the backdrop of a snowy field. They are there every day. The only difference is that today it feels like Christmas.

Jamie Lee Curtis wrote a great piece in the Huffington Post It Is a Wonderful Life

At the end of It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey is shown, kindness, love, support, familial bonds strengthen and deep, abiding friendships flourish.

As we head out of the darkness of the Bush and into the promise of a new day that Barack Obama has offered us, remember, "we" exist. "We" can help each other, " we " can lead our governments, businesses and institutions to change. " We" can do it. " We" can reach out, spare the dime, dollar, meal, roof.

"We" can scare the shit out of the land companies. "We" can and will and have and will again!

Peace and love to you and yours this holiday season.

I'd second what Jamie Lee said there, and add "Here's to Charlie Brown, Cindy Lou Who, and George Bailey, and all those who keep the spirit of Christmas alive for us all." Let's see if we can't carry this spirit with us throughout the trying times coming up in 2009.