Essays from West of 98: Outward Expressions of Christmas
Last week, I wrote about the inevitable struggles of the Christmas season and I encouraged each of us to focus on hope. That hope is exemplified by Merle Haggard’s words in his iconic song “If We Make It Through December.” Today, as I have done in the past, I want to talk about actually expressing the hope that underlies Christmas.
Ultimately, Christmas itself is about hope. It is not about exchanging gifts, Christmas decorations, family get-togethers or any of the other things that can be enjoyable. It is about the hope that came from a baby, born of a virgin in that humble manger in Bethlehem so many years ago. Now, do not misunderstand me—there is nothing inherently wrong with those other aspects of Christmas in modern society, so long as they make Christmas more enjoyable and do not make it worse. I think we have all fought the cycle of stress, exhaustion and annoyance that crops up around the holidays, but we shouldn’t have to fight it. We shouldn’t have to find reasons to escape it.
We should, however, look for ways that we can improve the holidays for our own families, our communities, and society at large. For too many friends, loved ones, and neighbors, a “perfect” Christmas isn’t a consideration; rather, too many folks are just trying to survive Christmas. Whether it is the expense of Christmas, the difficulty of facing it without loved ones, or dealing with strained or distant family relationships, struggling at Christmas crosses all socioeconomic lines. Others are already struggling with depression and other mental health issues. The pressures associated with the holidays—obligations for family, friends, work, church, and community—can be completely overwhelming. Mental health concerns become bigger during the holidays. Too many of our friends and family are not sure if they CAN make it through December. Do we even realize that?
This year, for the 33rd year, the Stamford community will host its Christmas Dinner at St. John’s United Methodist Church. This dinner is about serving fellowship and a Christmas dinner to anyone who desires it, but in light of the spread of COVID—19, we’re having to make tough decisions. Our volunteers will be carefully screened. Our dining room will not be open this year and we’ll limit fellowship to socially distant interactions with takeout and deliveries. We typically serve around 700 meals and this year, we hope to do the same in a safe way so that next year we can return to the fellowship that is so important to our community.
Between now and December 25th, there are many opportunities to improve the Christmas season. It does not require extravagance. It might be as simple as checking in on older neighbor whose loved ones are fewer and far between. It might be supporting a local toy drive. It might be reassuring a retail clerk who is fighting holiday stress, stressed-out shoppers, AND a dangerous pandemic all at once.
Whatever the case may be, I hope and pray that each of us will look across our community, at familiar faces and strangers, and find a way to make Christmas something happy, not merely a struggle for survival.
James Decker is the Mayor of Stamford, Texas and the creator of the “West of 98” website and forthcoming podcast. Contact James and subscribe to these essays at westof98.substack.com.