Well, it's that time of the year - sleigh bells ring, the temperature in Australia rises, grocery store carparks become warzones and seafood delis are overwhelmed! Christmas is such a mixture of extremes: joy, laughter, togetherness smashed together with overwhelming grief, pain, expectations and credit card debt. I've been thinking a lot lately about why we do this to ourselves - why we go through all of the ups and downs of this season and why there is SO much emphasis on Christmas and so little on Easter given they're both associated with Christian faith (I'll get more into that in a minute) and given that they're both so heavily commercialised. Along with 'hallmark' holidays such as valentine's day, Christmas is by far the biggest event of the year for most families whether you are a Christian or not. Of course, that's not to say there isn't other traditions who share the same time off - Quanza, Hannuka, Diwali, all occur around the same time, and all have different rituals and meanings. But by and large, Christmas has been adopted almost universally, along with all of the accoutrements including the big fat man in the red suit, the reindeer, an overall "snow" covered aesthetic (whether you're in winter or not!) and the good old Christmas Tree. So, why do we do it?
I've heard many different conclusions to this question over the years, with some citing pagan traditions of summer solstice as an explanation for some of the things we do at Christmas. Others are more cynical, citing capitalistic ambition and greed as contributing factors. I watched a video essay last night examining the messaging of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas", a Dr Seuss story adapted into a Jim Carrey movie that had the Grinch speaking out against the focus on presents and possessions and greed. Despite collective moaning and groaning about the expense and the debt we continue to go through all of the routines, feeling the pressure of keeping up appearances, and this year (as it does most years) it feels more prevalent than ever. So, I still find myself asking - why do we do it?
I would argue that along with all of the sociological aspects of Christmas that have grown and morphed (as cultural traditions often do) over the years, and despite the influence of capitalism and greed particularly in western society, there are other reasons. Putting into context the last couple of years I wonder whether we treat Christmas a little like societies of old treated the institution of 'harvest festivals'.
Barrow (2013) says that the tradition of a Harvest Festival as we know it began in 1843 and was closely linked to local churches in Cornwall. Barrow goes on to explain, "at the start of the harvest, communities would appoint a strong and respected man of the village as their 'Lord of the Harvest'. He would be responsible for negotiating the harvest wages and organising the fieldworkers." Along with this function, the festival also had a spiritual aspect, with items being made out of corn fibre in an effort to placate the 'corn spirit' and elicit a good harvest. The last cart load of harvest would be decorated with flowers and colourful ribbons, and everyone would celebrate and play games to mark the end of the harvest season. A lot of the importance of the harvest festival has also been translated into other holidays, with one of the most notable being Thanksgiving in the United States.
As humankind has evolved, our separation from the practical application of labour to grow food has expanded exponentially. Increasingly we no longer can hold in our hands the direct result of our labours (with of course the exceptions of industries such as Agriculture or mining perhaps) but even then, the end product remains out of the original growers' hands. The industrial revolution with all its benefits has robbed us largely of the direct ownership of the end product. And if you're someone like me who works in human services, our results are even LESS tangible - how do you hold participant outcomes in your hands when you work in counselling, or welfare, or disabilities? On the odd occasion you might get some positive feedback (and I make a point of printing that stuff out to keep as a way of commemorating my good work) but more often than not the participant moves on and we don't ever get any kind of resolution for our work.
I would argue that Christmas is our way of looking back over the year and saying, "see! I did that!" by substituting the 'harvest' with the commercial trappings that go along with the yuletide season. It's a way for us to provide for those that we love trinkets and trappings and things that let them know we care, and in donning our house with lights or spending FAR too much money on food we are nurturing their souls along with our own. We overextend because this is the one time of the year that collectively as a planet we pause and celebrate the year that has been, whatever that year has looked like. The pressure to be jolly and happy and cheerful is most certainly a burdensome one, especially if your year hasn't been terrific, and in those instances, I think a little insular self-care is warranted - but where possible, we are encouraged to give especially to those less fortunate, and I think this is a way of having something tangible we can say we've achieved.
Of course, I could be wrong, but the idea of producing something tangible as a representation of our labours is something that has been on my mind lately, and I do think there is an element of trying to reclaim a connection to our work in the excesses of the Christmas season each year. Along with that of course is the renewed importance of being together and enjoying each other's company after the separation of the last few years, and I can see the seeds being planted of a resurgence of hand made gifts being more popular than store bought (as a crafter myself I look forward to the growth of these seeds with great enthusiasm!).
Wherever you are, and whatever your thoughts on this time of year, I wish you every joy and happiness. May you take time to hold in your hands some kind of representation of the year that has been and take time to marvel at how far you have come. May you rest, and refresh, and reflect upon the good AND the bad that has occurred, knowing with certainty that as the New Year approaches so too do new opportunities for self-discovery.
Merry Christmas!
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