Christmas can be a pretty confusing time. These days, with political correctness gone completely mad, we are encouraged to watch what we say, how we say it, what we celebrate and what we even call this festive season.
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Only this week, my dear Mum was up in arms because the media was talking about the “holidays” rather than Christmas! She was furious it appeared Australia was now adopting the American way of describing the weeks surrounding December 25.
She was also quite concerned, and boy does she get concerned, about what her youngest grandchildren were doing about Christmas at school.
So, if it’s hard for us grown-ups to get our heads around what is OK and what is not, imagine how it is for little kids trying to work their way through celebrating Christmas without upsetting anyone.
A tiny little dot of a girl, only four years old, was getting into quite an in depth chat with her Pop. She told him Jesus is a ghost. Now, Pop was not real sure of this but when he questioned her, she was absolutely adamant that that was the truth.
She then went on to tell him that Jesus had died when he was killed by a train. Again, Pop was a little concerned about his granddaughter’s understanding of Jesus. But it all became clear when she also announced that he was killed by a train at a crossing. Of course, her imaginative take on how Jesus died has just made her family’s Christmas and the story has been well and truly repeated to friends. I am guessing it will be repeated at this little girl’s 18th birthday as well. She knew Jesus had died, so in her mind that made him a ghost.
She knew a cross had something to do with his death and the only cross she knew about was the train crossing. And she also knew Jesus had something to do with Christmas. If I was Jesus, I would just love to hear of that child’s gathering of information and subsequent conclusion as to how he had died.
These types of family stories are for me, what Christmas is all about. Children piecing together little bits of information and then sharing with us their thoughts. It’s so innocent and heartfelt.
They want to know about Jesus, they want to know about Santa, they want to know what presents they will be getting – and then there are their sensational ideas of what they can buy you with no limit on their budget!
Why can’t we grown-ups have the hearts and minds of children at this time of year. I want to hear all the old Christmas carols.
I want to see nativity scenes in shop windows. I want to see Christmas lights flashing in windows and I definitely want to hear all about how hard Santa and the elves are working right now!
Can we not be politically correct for just one day of the year?
