The true meaning of christmas

Marie-Liese George, Contributor

"Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if it is a headache, a chore, and nightmare, it is a period of necessary defrosting of chill and hide-bound hearts."

- Lenora Mattingly Weber

The way one sees Christmas undoubtedly changes with age. The magic that once was, is replaced with a sense of comfort, and acceptance of a time set aside for family. Although our common humanity may be seen by some as enough to unite us, holidays are viewed and observed by different people in different ways, and these do not often overlap with each other. This is evidenced by the differences in the way Christmas is viewed by people of different nationalities, social standings and generations. Regardless of divisions, however, all celebrate in some way, no matter what form their celebrations take or what they call them.

Teens from a cross section of the Jamaican society, including students from Holy Childhood High, Kingsway High, Jamaica College, Hillel Academy and the University of the West Indies were interviewed. The response given by most teens aged between 15 and 19, both Jamaican and persons from other countries, identified the commercialised nature of Christmas as the major reason for the difference in the way they view Christmas now, compared to how they did a few years ago.

"When I was younger I used to expect gifts, and like party and all those stuff," Agay White, a student at Holy Childhood told Positive Parenting. Her response was not uncommon, as almost all interviewed felt this way, and as such, could no longer be as enthusiastic about the season as they had been in previous years, with the magic and indescribable rush attributed to the 'Christmas spirit' being lost.

All identified Christmas as a time for giving to others and spending time with one's family. Christmas dinner was mentioned as the main part of Christmas day, with the opening of presents being referred to as the highlight, in years gone by.

Although there are several parties one could attend almost every night of the year in Jamaica, and Christmas Day is no exception to that rule, none of the teens interviewed said that partying was a priority for them on the day itself, although it certainly is during the holiday break generally.

Milan Cater of Hillel Academy identified the holiday season as a good opportunity to get a job and make some money. She also said she normally made most of the presents she gave to her close friends, which added personal meaning. This could not be achieved no matter how lavish a store-bought gift may be. Therein lies the difference between the way Christmas is viewed by children and teens. Although teenagers are not yet at the stage in their lives where they take charge of Christmas celebrations, they have matured into realising that the reason behind Christmas is more important than the material side to the season. Chantal Tracey, a student at the University of the West Indies told Positive Patenting, "We should go back to remembering that December 25 is to celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ to save mankind, but let's not limit it to a day or even a season and make it a year-round event." This shows insight and thought into the deeper meaning of a religious holiday.

While teenagers from different sections of the Jamaican society may have different types of holiday celebrations, for example, those who are reasonably wealthy may have larger and more extravagant gatherings than those less fortunate, the basic feelings they have about the holiday are pretty much the same. All interviewed seem to have reached a stage of maturity where they recognise the value of family closeness. Therefore, despite the divisions in terms of what one may physically see as parts of Christmas celebration, the fundamental outlook of teenagers on the occasion appears to be roughly the same.

Other countries

Within Christianity, different countries have different customs. Looking outside of Jamaica makes one realise how particular to a certain place celebrations for a single holiday can be.

Vivian Ojo from Namibia, Georgia Affonso from England, and Mariya Ninova from Bulgaria were asked about their views on Christmas as teenagers, and about the traditions common in their countries during the holiday. Mariya's denomination is Bulgarian Orthodox, and her Christmas experiences are therefore rather alien to us as westerners. She told Positive Parenting that, "On Christmas Eve my entire family gets together, my grandmothers cook traditional Bulgarian Christmas dishes that are supposed to be vegetarian because Christmas Eve is considered the last day of fasting. Wine and bread are laid on the table first, as part of the tradition. The bread is always home-made and a coin is hidden in some part of it as it is said that whoever gets the bit of bread with the coin will be merry and lucky throughout the next year." Mariya also said that her sister's excitement about Father Christmas coming is so innocent and adorable that she could not think of telling her the truth, and so goes along with the excitement herself, despite no longer believing it herself. "Part of the magic of Christmas to me is hidden behind the snowy weather and elm trees covered in snow when I walk down the streets, snow does contribute to the Christmasy spirit in Bulgaria." Mariya said that despite Bulgarians' love of partying and drinking, Christmas is a family holiday and is treated as such by teens.

Georgia Affonso's Christmas experience is perhaps the one closest to what we are accustomed to, despite the difference in winter weather, evident from her saying, "The smell of the pine always tells me Christmas is coming!"

She spoke of traditions that she still enjoys, despite having outgrown them. "On Christmas day my brother and I wake up at about six and take our stockings up to empty on Mum and Dad's bed, although I am getting a bit old for this now, I still really enjoy it because it is a tradition and is quite nostalgic."

Vivian Ojo's focus for the Christmas season now, she says, is to serve others. She remains sceptical about the gift-giving culture of Christmas, saying she got her first present at age 12, as it never used to be part of African Christian culture. Christmas was instead a time for the family to gather, enjoy each other's company and make decisions that required family input, such as marriages and births. "Capitalism has invaded Christmas to the extent that it is more than anything a money-making opportunity. African culture has in some senses been unmarred by this frenzy, so that while we do not have snow, or real coniferous trees, there is a sense of importance awarded to family during this holiday." Such an outlook is similar to those observed in Jamaican teens.

Despite cultural and social differences, it seems that teens from Christian households have roughly the same views on the Christmas holiday, and are on the whole critical of its commercialised nature. This shows that although there may be visible differences in the way celebrations are carried out, the only major difference that matters is the way teens view Christmas compared to the way they did a few years before, as they all reach a conclusion about the holiday after gaining a certain amount of maturity.