Advent Music: Christmas Eve

I think this one needs no explanation.

Advent Music Part 5

Past Three O' Clock has long been a favorite carol of mine. I can't say exactly why (although it is one of the few Christmas carols that mentions cheese); I think partially because it's lesser-known, and thus doesn't get overplayed ever Christmas season. But more so, I think it's because it gets to my favorite moment of Christmas - that quiet, pregnant moment when the world has yet to wake up, when Christmas is set to be sprung but first, there is one last quiet pause. The shepherds are still on the hillside, ma in her kerchief and I in my cap are still settled in for a long winter's nap. The town crier echoes the ancient cry "all is well." And we slumber, gently, and Christmas lays just beyond the horizon, waiting for the sun to rise and all glory to break forth on the earth.

This carol gets at the heart of Advent - Christmas is coming, but just for now, rest. Morning, and with it Christmas, is on the way.

Past three o'clock, and a cold frosty morning,
Past three o'clock, good morrow masters all.

Born is the baby, gentle as may be
Son of the eternal Father supernal,

Sereph choir singeth, angel bell ringeth
hark how they rhyme it, time it and chime it!

Hinds o'er the pearly dewy lawn early,
Seek the high stranger laid in the manger.

Cheese from the dairy bring they for Mary
And, not for money, butter and honey

Thus they, I pray you, up sirs, nor stay you
'Til ye confess him likewise, and bless him.
 

Be nice. Everybody's broken.

I made a trek to get my pre-Christmas haircut at a local chain place. I was settling into the comfy chair and going through the ritual of "how do you want your hair cut" with my stylist* (whom I shall call "Carol", just because that's a good Christmasy-sounding name) when another customer came in.

Carol left me to check in the new customer. I couldn't see the exchange that followed, but I heard it clearly. And it went like this:

Carol: Hello, and welcome to (redacted).

Customer: Grump grump grumble.

Carol: Can I get your last name?

Customer: Mfpththgrumble**

Carol: I'm sorry, can you repeat that?

Customer: Mpsthsgrumpgrump

Carol: Sorry, could you spell that?

Customer: intelligible grumble.

Carol: Okay, just to make sure, one more time?

Customer's female friend (possible wife?): SMITH! S - M - I - T - H! GOT IT?

Carol: Yes, thank you. And how about a first name?

Customer: Grumble grump fsgetedpde

Carol: And could you spell that?

Customer's female companion: JACK! J - A - C - K! Got it? SHEESH!

Carol: Yes, I have it now - thank you.

Customer's female companion: We're leaving! If you're so deaf we don't want to be here! Grump grump grump! (stomping footsteps out the door)

At which point Carol came over and stood behind my chair. We made eye contact in the mirror - she rolled her eyes, but I could see the pain in her face. "That was the wrong thing to say to a person who'd just had ear surgery," she said.

Turns out she's been deaf in one ear since childhood, and just had surgery last week to (hopefully) repair the damage from early sickness, and (hopefully) restore some hearing. But it's still quite stuffed up, so she remains partially deaf.

She was hurt by the exchange, I could tell. I don't know her story, but I would guess, based on her reaction, that this wasn't the first time she'd been bullied for her impairment. And all the while she was fighting to remain professional. I suspect that, had she said what she was thinking, it wouldn't have gone over so well with management. So she let them go without challenging their rudeness.

We ended up having a delightful conversation about our kids, and our favorite Christmas movies, and family customs over the holidays. I could tell she loved her kids, and was doing her best to give them a great Christmas, in spite of the fact that she had just had surgery (and was working less than a week later). I would like to think that, just maybe, I brought some light and levity back to her day, after she had been treated so poorly. I did my best to encourage her, anyway. This is the work of the Kingdom of God: to shine light into darkness. To turn swords into plowshares. To speak of peace in the midst of violence. To encourage, where there has been discouragement.

So next time you're tempted to insult somebody, or you feel like stomping out in a self-righteous huff, or you're frustrated because somebody is a little bit slow***, just be nice. Be patient and friendly and understanding, okay?

It's possible they actually are deaf, and are trying their best to put up with your mumbling.

And after all, it's Christmas.

______________________________________________
* As a man, I'm not comfortable with saying I have a hair stylist. But she wasn't exactly a barber, either. Hair services professional? I could live with that.

** All names have been changed so as to protect the grumpy

*** I don't want to overlook the possibility that this customer and his female companion were also acting out of pain, as well. It's possible they were just rude; it's also possible that they had recently received some bad news, or maybe he had a speech impediment that I didn't know about. Maybe somebody had been rude to them earlier in the day. None of that is an excuse for their behavior, of course. But if given the opportunity, we should try to be nice to rude people, as well. Maybe they've got some pain in their lives, as well. Maybe that will be my new Christmas theme: Be nice. Everybody's broken.

Advent Music 3

Let's jump back 500 years. Jacob Arcadelt lived ca. 1505-1568. He was born in what is now Belgium, spent time in Florence, Rome, and Germany, and died in France. He served for a time as choirmaster of the Papal choir under Pope Paul 3, and later was choirmaster of the French Royal chapel. He was known for shorter works; in his earlier career he focused on motets and madrigals, and once in France he switched to chansons. However, he did write 3 masses, including the Christmas mass - Missa Noe noe.

This is the Kyrie from that Christmas Mass. Like much of his work, it is written in four-part harmony, with beautiful, long-flowing melodies that intertwine like the winter wind blowing through the trees. The text is the traditional Latin Kyrie:

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Music Christians would have been listening to during Advent and Christmas, almost 500 years ago.

Advent Music 2

Lux Aurumque is rightfully growing in popularity, so you may already know it. It is a modern song that sounds ancient, rich in polyphony yet so sweet and simple. It's a Christmas song, but it seems to pop up any number of places, including the Peninsula High School graduation a few years ago. I have about 3 different recordings in my own collection, including the Elora Festival Singers and the St. Olaf Choir.

Like with the last, you need to stop and really listen to this one. Dim the lights, light a candle, sit with your warm cup of tea, and let the sound wash over you, even while contemplating the mystery of the incarnation. Hear the angelic choir song of Christmas once again.

Light,
Warm and heavy as pure gold
and the angels sing softly
to the newborn baby. 
 

If you want to see something cool, then watch this. Whitacre put together a virtual choir of the same song.

And then there's the band version, which gives it a much different feel. if you're interested.

New Horizons in Musical Appreciation (Advent Edition)

As long as we've been exploring such rich versions of the wonderful Shaker tune "Simple Gifts," I thought I might continue on for the next month or so, sharing some Advent and Christmas themed music that you all need to listen to.

I was once accused of being a musical bigot. Thank you. I wasn't a music major for nothing. America is a cesspool of popular music being touted as "art."

I am hereby doing my part to educate and share and generally lift up the collective musical conscience of the world by bringing to your attention music that is, actually, really very good and worthy of listen.

If you're a lover of good music, you don't need the introduction: you already know. But if you happen to think the world really needed a Justin Bieber Christmas album, or a Carrie Underwood version of The Sound of Music, then this is for you. This is what good art, this is what craft, sounds like. This is how good it really can be.

Here's the only thing - don't play this in the background. Stop what you're doing, except maybe sipping on that hot beverage, still your heart, and take this in.

You can thank me later.

Let's start with Lauridsen's Magnum Mysterium. The text is from the Matins of Christmas, the liturgy that takes the church through the darkest hours before dawn on Christmas morning.

O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear Christ the Lord.
Alleluia!

Simple Gifts 1

I was homeless once.

Not sleeping-in-the-streets homeless, but lacking in a home, and thus relying on the kindness of others for a place to lay my head. It lasted quite awhile. I was just out of college, working as a part-time youth pastor, unable to find an income to supplement that ministry salary.

I had been rooming with a college friend, but then he decided to leave me, and move in with his girlfriend. I couldn't afford rent on my own, and couldn't find anybody to share the space, so I had to move out.

For a little while, the church where I worked set me up with a spare room, giving me the space in exchange for playing part-time security guard. We had a gymnasium with showers, and a nice kitchen, so I had everything I needed. Except it was a little lonely, especially when earthquakes happened at 5 in the morning.

During that time I also slept on the floor of an acquaintance for a brief period, a security guard at the local strip mall. Every weekend he'd tell me I might need to find other arrangements, because he was expecting to bring "a hot little lady" home for the night. It never happened. He was a good chess player, though, and we spent hours playing chess in front of our little TV. I remember watching the Branch Davidian compound burn to the ground while we ate some cheap pizza and he killed me at chess once again.

But it turned out he wasn't paying rent. And he wasn't supposed to have the three cats he kept. And he never told the apartment managers about me. So I went away on a weekend trip with the youth group, and returned to find the apartment locked up by the local sheriff. I talked to the apartment owners, but since they didn't know me, I was out of luck. Thankfully, I didn't have much stuff in there.

I slept in my office at the church a couple of days, and eventually, right around the holidays, was invited to live temporarily in an airstream trailer in somebody's backyard.

It was sort of nice to have my own space, and a cool airstream trailer, at that. On the other hand, it was lonely, living in somebody's backyard. And this wasn't just any somebody. This was the classic grumpy church busybody who seems to show up in every church, the lady who complains about anything and everything, believing herself to be the expert on all of the church's business, even though she was really just a gossip.

I once walked into the office of my mentor, the previous youth minister, to find him in tears. He had just gotten off the phone with this woman. Later on, it all ended when the church was forced to kick her out, telling her she would either get counseling or never come back. She was that bad. But that was a year or so after I lived in her backyard.

The family was gracious to not even charge me rent. The only real cost to me was having to spend 30 minutes with this woman every morning, listening to her rant and rage and gossip about all the goings-on at the church. The fact that I worked in the office and was present at board meetings, and thus had first-hand knowledge of what was actually happening didn't sway her. She had her opinions, and she was going to tell them to me.

She also absolutely, positively, without question hated praise choruses. And I helped lead worship. So I got an earful on that, too.

During that time I finally found a second job, working in a local sweat shop Christian book store. It was a store that took ministry profits seriously. I've written about it elsewhere, even going so far as to make the claim that I almost lost my faith while working in that bookstore. But that's another story.

The connection is this: I spent some of my hard-earned money to buy some Christmas CDs that year. I even bought a couple strings of Christmas lights, and hung them inside the airstream.

Which is how I found myself one night all alone in the airstream, bathed in the soft glow of Christmas lights, sitting out a rainstorm that pelted the aluminum walls with a regular smattering of rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat, feeling a little lost and lonely and friendless and maybe just a little depressed, when this song came on:


And I was mesmerized. Enchanted. Overwhelmed. Between the tight chord structures, the tender piano, the soaring violin, the rushing, ascending lines of the melody - Christmas flooded into my airstream, and I was blessed. The aching beauty of the song called forth to the deep ache in my heart, and took my breath away.

It came to an end too quickly, and I hit repeat.* And again. And again. I played the rest of the CD, and went back and listened to this one again. For a moment I was living in a world of pure beauty. And all was well.

I still have this CD, and every time this song comes on, I'm instantly back in that trailer, feeling lonely and a little lost, trying to make sense of the world and the plan I was supposedly following. And this song is a gift to me today as much as it was back then. Simplicity is good. Simplicity is a gift. Loneliness isn't the end of the world, because of Immanuel. Christ has come.

In the gift we deliver, in the gift we receive
is the living spirit Mary did conceive;
A royal gift of love, incandescent flame,
is given to all mankind in his name,

Joy, joy it is our true delight
to give and receive on this wondrous night
The boy-child to Mary is borne
and his light will shine on beyond the dawn.

Consider this an early Christmas present.
__________
*remember back in the old days before CDs, when you had to hit "rewind" and wait for the tape to go back through the song? And then they came out with 'auto-rewinds' that could sense where the break between songs was? And how we thought that was the most amazing technology ever invented?

Book Review: A Christmas Carol

I've seen the movie countless times; in fact, I've seen countless versions of the book countless times. There's no denying it's a classic in Western Literature; perhaps one of the best-known stories in the English language.

Not that anybody's ever read it.

I hadn't, up until this year. But last spring I found it at the Borders Going-Out-Of-Business sale, and decided it was about time to hear it as Dickens intended.

It's a difficult book to read, both because we're not used to reading Victorian English, and because it's impossible to avoid hearing the voices of Kermit the Frog and Michael Caine and George C. Scott. And yet, it's such a necessary book.

It's become important to the pantheon of "necessary items for Christmas," along with "A Christmas Story" and The Carpenters and ugly sweaters. But even more so, I think it's necessary for our world today. It's a little unfortunate that it's become window dressing for the festive season, because the message is entirely prophetic, judgmental, and yet hopeful. It's a message we need once again.

I don't need to rehearse the story or themes for you, but think about it for just a second - there's a message here about the proper place of money in relationships, there's a message of the importance of all people, whether they are rich or poor, there's a message about the voluntary redistribution of wealth; but it's all couched in a story of redemption. Yes, there is strong judgment against selfishness and greed (perhaps echoes of the Rich Man and Lazarus), but rather than simply condemn that man, Dickens paints a picture where even the worst can be redeemed and restored. That is a message sadly lacking in the 21st Century.

It's interesting to read the story, as so many familiar lines pop off the page; at the same time, there are tender and poignant scenes that I have yet to see in the movie versions; young couples in love, ships' crews huddled in their cold cabin celebrating Christmas far out at sea. The Ghost of Christmas present even gets in a pretty direct shot at the church of Dickens' day.

In the end, though, we're left with the familiar story of an angry, bitter, broken man who has all the money in the world but has lost all human connection, and the work of spirits to save him. Dickens reminds us that there is hope for even the worst of sinners, if repentance is found.

The bonus of this book is the addition of two lesser-known Christmas tales penned by Dickens - The Chimes, and The Cricket on the Hearth. The Chimes tells us of a broken-down man beset with terrible dreams while (accidentally) locked inside a church steeple; it's a mystic, visionary tale, lacking a bit of the clarity of A Christmas Carol. It's a cold story, and yet hopeful and redemptive. The Cricket on the Hearth is a warmer tale, with brighter characters and (in my opinion) a more interesting story. There's an old cartoon version of this one out there; I remember seeing it some years ago. Like Carol, it can be a little difficult to follow simply due to the Victorian English vernacular, but it's a fun story full of lame dogs and old horses and mysterious strangers and inept babysitters and blind saints and grumpy old men. And yes, in keeping with the others, it brings a surprise redemptive end, complete with a homespun party.

So Borders, I'm sorry you went out of business. But your sale finally convinced me to pick this one up, and for that I'm grateful.

Article

For those of you not in our area: I am the faith columnist for the Key Peninsula News, our local paper. This was my article published in the December edition. It received quite a bit of positive feedback, so here it is for your enjoyment. It was originally entitled "Just Another Article about the Real Meaning of Christmas."

It’s the story of a pregnant teen and her shame in the face of an honor-bound society. Subplots include a government that will stop at nothing – even violence – to maintain control. Throw in economic hardship, lack of affordable housing, and an ill-timed road trip. As for the characters, you have it all – from kings and priests to common day laborers and migrant workers in the field.

Sometimes this is all lost to our modern sensibilities. Christmas has been redefined for us by cute crèches adorning our lawns, by Christmas card watercolors of happy people living happy lives, enjoying their place in this drama. Choirs sing songs of silent nights, of peace, of joy and gladness and festivities as we celebrate this season.

But strip that all away and take another look. It wasn’t a silent night. Childbirth never is. Transport the scene into a dark cave, surrounded by smelly farm animals, and no midwife to be found. You can bet the cattle were, indeed, lowing. A frightened mother giving birth to her first child in the dung; and then, just when she’s ready for a quiet moment, in barge filthy shepherds clamoring about angels. It’s not the most sanitary way to begin a story.

Things take a frightening turn. The local politician, sensing a threat to his power, orders the National Guard to head into town and kill every baby boy. What should have been a celebration with visiting dignitaries turns into a midnight flight, with death nipping at their heels.

This is the story Christians tell at Christmas: a Savior born to shame and poverty, a child bullied by the authorities, a king who shows up in the grimy soil, a messiah whose coming was announced to the outcasts of society.

In the end, it’s our story, yours and mine. We who struggle with shame, who work hard to put food on the table, we who find our lives manipulated by those in power, we who have been hurt by religion and politics and family and so-called friends. We who come home with dirt under our nails and grease stains on our clothes. Who, as the old carol says, find ourselves “beneath life’s crushing load . . . who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow.”

This ancient story surpasses the sanitized store-front display and becomes our story. As the angels declared, this is “good news of great joy for all people.” “All people” includes you and me. And I don’t know about you, but I could use some joy right about now. The world is in desperate need of good news.

And so, this: God showed up, standing in opposition to the slave-traders, the bullies, the religious elite, the violent, the thieves in high places. In so doing, he stands in solidarity with the poor, the marginalized, the broken, the victim, the lonely, the shamed. There you have it: God is on the side of the minimum-wage-earning single father forced to work through the holidays just to feed his kids; he stands against the corporate powers growing rich on the backs of those workers.

If you’re feeling particularly lonely, desperate, sad, used, or angry, then remember this: Christmas is for you. Not the plastic, shop-til-you-drop Christmas of our local malls, but the real Christmas – the story of one who came to be with you in the darkness. Behind the facades of office parties and family gatherings and fake snow and manufactured joy, the real story is a story of hope, a story that gives meaning to the struggles of our lives. We are not alone, but are part of this story. God is on our side. God is with us. Emanuel.

On behalf of the Key Peninsula Ministerial Association, I bid you a truly merry Christmas, and joy in the New Year.

You know what else is offensive?

A couple weeks go I went to Target with the girls, to look for Halloween costumes (Clara ended up being Cleopatra, and Olivia was a black cat).

We had a hard time finding the Halloween stuff (remember this was a couple weeks ago) because it was way in the back, hidden by all the Christmas stuff.

Is it too early to remind you all of this?

After all. . .

A Poem for Christmas Eve

Where is this stupendous stranger
Prophets, shepherds, kings, advise:
Lead me to my master's manger,
Show me where my Saviour lies.

O most mighty, O most holy,
Far beyond the seraph's thought!
Art thou then so mean and lowly
As unheeded angels taught?

O the magnitude of meekness,
Worth from worth immortal sprung!
O the strength of infant weakness,
If eternal is so young!

God all-bounteous, all creative,
Whom no ills from good dissuade,
Is incarnate - and a native
Of the very world he made.

Christopher Smart (1722-1771)

Has Christmas Changed That Much?

All in all

I must confess it was about as perfect as a Christmas season could be. Just enough festive frivolity to keep things exciting, and enough quiet space to rest and reflect on the deeper echoes of the season.

Between Lakebay's Christmas dinner, the Christmas tree lighting with the Down Home Band, the GHPSO concert featuring brass and organ, the Seattle Symphony's Messiah, our Christmas Eve service, and Christmas day itself, it was a time of laughter and wonder and cheer, full of holiday music and merry memory-making.

My three highlights would have to be:
- The GHPSO holiday concert, which allowed me to shine just a bit, sharing my talent on trumpet with many friends and orchestra patrons; it also was sheer fun joining together with other talented musicians to make merry music on a cold frosty night.
- Messiah, which was really a whole night of excitement and celebration with friends - good food, good conversation, laughter, and heart-stirring music played by consummate professionals. A reminder that the best Christmas moments are a mixture of old and new - the centuries-old music of Handel, the modern-day restaurant and hip coffee shop. And also that the truly best moments are spent with people we love.
- Lakebay's Christmas Eve service. It was pure magic. A vision I had months ago, come together in beauty and inspiration and glory. Fun - we sang "I Saw Three Ships," and "The 12 Days of Christmas" (complete with dramatic interpretation); festive (guests were greeted at the door by Cider stewards, we had plenty of goodies); and heart-felt - the candle-lit sanctuary, the beauty of trumpet and cello and clarinet, the ancient story, the excitement of kids running throughout the sanctuary. An a Capella version of Silent Night, sung outside surrounding a blazing fire, tapering off to the sound of church bells ringing into the night. Oh, and the fact that we planned on 35 people, and instead welcomed around 110 or more.

And Christmas day itself was nice, quiet, with family, homemade butternut squash soup, some presents and too many pictures taken. I had fun, but the kids had a lot more fun. . .which made my day complete. 

So, although Christmas has about 9 more days to go, I reflect now and must say this one was up there with the very best. I'm not sure what could have made this one any better. Sometimes Christmas drifts away and I'm left feeling it wasn't quite complete, that something was missing. Not this time. This one. . .this one was good, all the way around.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

My observation, this first day of Christmas

It used to be that parents spent the better part of Christmas afternoon assembling all their kids' new toys. Now it is that parents spend all Christmas afternoon punching install disks into the computer, connecting their kids' new toys to the internet to download the latest updates and patches and games and accessories.

Merry Christmas

Methinks the next few days will be busy, and best spent away from the computer and the internets. So, allow me one last opportunity to invite you to the Lakebay Community Church Festive Christmas Eve Festivities tonight, December 24, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

And let me also wish you all a Merry Christmas, a day full of joy and peace and happiness and food and friends and fun, and may the Spirit of Christ dwell richly in your hearts and your celebrations.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Christmas Poetry

Today's poem is A Christmas Carmen, by John Greenleaf Whittier

Sound over all waters, reach out from all lands,
The chorus of voices, the clasping of hands;
Sing hymns that were sung by the stars of the morn,
Sing songs of the angels when Jesus was born!
               With glad jubilations
               Bring hope to the nations!
The dark night is ending and dawn has begun:
Rise, hope of the ages, arise like the sun,
     All speech flow to music, all hearts beat as one!


Sing the bridal of nations! with chorals of love
Sing out the war-vulture and sing in the dove,
Till the hearts of the peoples keep time in accord,
And the voice of the world is the voice of the Lord!
               Clasp hands of the nations
               In strong gratulations:
The dark night is ending and dawn has begun;
Rise, hope of the ages, arise like the sun,
     All speech flow to music, all hearts beat as one!


Blow, bugles of battle, the marches of peace;
East, west, north, and south let the long quarrel cease:
Sing the song of great joy that the angels began,
Sing of glory to God and of good-will to man!
               Hark! joining in chorus
               The heavens bend o'er us!
The dark night is ending and dawn has begun;
Rise, hope of the ages, arise like the sun,
     All speech flow to music, all hearts beat as one!

How to Ruin Christmas in One Easy Step

I confess: I broke my cardinal rule against visiting the mall in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Saturday, following our wonderful meeting with Deb Steinkamp to plan out the Feast 2011, Karina and I decided to make a 'quick stop' and grab some last-minute stocking stuffers for the kids.

Toys-R-Us ruined my Christmas.

In three quick moves. Here they are, in ascending order from "sort of ruined Christmas" to "totally annihilated Christmas."

3. The 12 young men (read: 12-14 year olds) who took over the bike/scooter section, jumping on the various wheeled vehicles and riding them throughout the back of the store, running over everybody in their path.

2. The man in the Barbie section, shouting into his cell phone, oblivious to everybody around him. This is what he was saying: "I don't care if you ^#@$^ forgot it - you need to go ^%#$% pick it up! Just drive the %^$#$% over there and tell them you %$#$% need it!"

1. And this, the moment that destroyed Christmas. Right in the line of sight of all who entered the store, right where all the 8-year-old girls would be drawn to it:

Nothing says "Christmas" like introducing your 8-year-old daughter to the occult.

Bah, humbug and all that.

Toward a Theology against Christmas junk

Arguably one of the more important moments in human history is the Incarnation. The coming of God into this broken, shattered world. The love of God transformed into human flesh, in order to know the sorrow of our days, the joys and pains associated with human life, and, in the end, to overcome all that, winning the ultimate victory for all his children.

Of all the facets of this Incarnation, which we celebrate at Christmas time, one of the most crucial is its timelessness. Christ came at a specific time and place, and yet his life was lived laterally across time; the atoning effect of Emanuel goes back to the first humans, and carries forward to this day. We not only celebrate his coming 2000 years ago, we also celebrate the way he still comes today. We join in with saints of old and, should God tarry, with saints yet to come, all gathering around the stable in the manger to worship in silence and awe that this little one is Divine, has come to face terror and rejection and sorrow and death, all out of love for us. We stand on the hillside with the shepherds, our silent night shattered by the arrival of angels, we travel with the magi across the hills and deserts to find our God and worship him. This story is the story of all Christians throughout history.

Part of its richness is found exactly in this timelessness, the way it has played out across the centuries. Christians in the dark ages, early Christians in Ireland and the European continent coming in from the snow to feast around the board before a roaring fire whilst minstrels retell the story; Christians who first gathered to hear Handel's glorious retelling as "Messiah," Christians who gathered in the new country called America to celebrate the Christ-mass, the worship of Light of Lights come into the darkness. Some of that history has made its way down to us, in the form of ancient text and music ("Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence," Bach's "Christmas Oratorio," Dickens "A Christmas Carol," many of the songs we sing and traditions we keep), which adds to the timeless nature of the event. We worship with the words and tunes and stories that have been told by Christians for centuries, for thousands of years.

It seems to me, then, that Christmas is best kept with this timelessness in mind. With this sense of reaching back for the best that has been handed down, and creating timeless additions to carry forth into future generations. The best Christmas music, story, liturgy, art, movie will speak the story in ways that resonate today, while acknowledging the history that has come before, and with the hope that future sons and daughters will find them meaningful and Truth-telling.

Which is exactly why I find my soul disturbed at so much of the Christmas production today. It is all so transitory, so 'in the moment,' so throw-away, so temporal. It rejects the glory of the past and ignores any long-term effect in order to make a sale.

Over the last few years, we've received a number of Christmas gifts that do lean toward the timeless nature of this season. I'm thinking even of "Elf" and "Polar Express," both of which are modern re-tellings of the child-like wonder necessary for belief and joy, both give a nod to our shared history, both have a quality that promises to age well.

And yet, so much of the celebration is NOT that. Too much is "cute" in the moment, but has no lasting power. Too much sells out for cheap humor that mocks the tradition, or attempts to put the tradition into packages that simply will not last. CDs like "WOW Christmas Music 2009!" that will be in the $1.99 rack in two years, that will be listened to for a year or two and then thrown away. Cheap plastic Disney-esque production albums that are all too filled with "today's sound!" (think Jump 5) that nobody will care about in three more years. Cheap plastic lawn ornaments that go up this year but fall apart while stored in the closet over the summer. Movies that use The Story as a marketing gimmick, but really have nothing to do with its soul.

I guess what I'm getting at is this:

When I stand in the music section at Target, considering whether or not to purchase a new Christmas CD (and you know I buy a couple every year), one of the questions I always ask is "will I still want to listen to this 10 years from now? 30 years from now? Will this last, a la Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole? Or will this simply be kitschy in a few years, a la Britney, Christina or the Beach Boys?"

When I stand in the Christmas store looking at decorations and ornaments, I find myself asking "when I'm an old man, will this have meaning, sentimental value, will it still be beautiful? Or will I find myself saying 'what was I thinking?'"

When I go see or purchase a holiday-themed movie, does it have lasting value? Does it carry forth the traditions and history while having a message still for today - even like "It's a Wonderful Life," or "Charlie Brown's Christmas?" Or will it eventually end up in the cheap DVD pile at our church rummage sale in a couple years?

In other words, the things I add to my life as part of the celebration of this day - do they make it eternally richer? Or are they simply glitz and gaudiness that offer a cheap thrill in the moment (think the 10-foot tall Homer Simpson inflatable front-yard thing)? Do they bring a depth that recognizes and honors the season? Or are they shallow trinkets that give the impression of "Christmas," but remain hollow and empty and destined for the trash heap?

Maybe it's because I just turned forty, and I'm looking for things that add meaning and depth to life. And yes, I'll admit it, I have a singular vision for Christmas, and don't have a lot of patience for people who try to tell me otherwise. I'll own up to that.

But in the end, our world has enough of the plastic facade, and desperately needs something with more substance. Perhaps if we, those who know the true story behind it all, we who still live in the hope of the Incarnation - maybe if we began seeking depth and meaning over trite and cheesy, maybe then we'd have something to offer the world now, and the world to come. Maybe if we took Christmas a little more seriously, even in its joy and celebration, we'd really show the world what the "true meaning" of Christmas is all about. Perhaps in our own hearts we would feel more grounded, more at home in this place. Perhaps if we rejected all that tripe that passes for Christmas entertainment, the depth and mystery of Christ's coming would shine through all the brighter into the darkness around us.

Advent/Christmas resources

A few resources I have found enjoyable/useful over the last few years:

Books:
In the Days of the Angels - Collection of short stories and poetry by Walter Wangerin, jr. that dig right into the heart of Christmas. A mainstay in my Christmas library.

Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas - Daily readings for advent and Christmas that call the reader to pause and consider the Incarnation and its effect on the world around them. Includes articles and poetry from a diverse collection of men and women from modern to ancient.


The Christ of Christmas: Readings for Advent - Calvin Millers musings on the scriptures telling the Christmas story, and the people caught up in that story.


I Saw Three Ships - New to my library this year, a delightful tale of a little girl awaiting the wise men on Christmas Eve. Elizabeth Goudge crafts the story around the Christmas carol of the same name.

Accompanied by Angels: Poems of the Incarnation - A collection of Luci Shaw's poetry reflecting on the coming of Christ into our world.


Startling Joy: Seven Magical Stories of Christmas - James Calvin Schaap's unique look into the darker side of Christmas, in that each story places the reader into the midst of a crisis, a relational breakdown, a troublesome time in the lives of men and women struggling to survive the holiday season.





Music:
Folk Alley - Live streaming Americana and folk music, good any time of the year but especially lovely during the Christmas season. (note: the Christmas stream isn't up and running yet as of this writing)


Grace Cathedral - Follow the Advent worship of this church in San Francisco, renowned for its glorious music of the season.  (click on the 'Choral Eucharist' link on the right side of the page)

St. Olaf Choir Christmas Festival - Always majestic, reverent, holy and fun. Nothing tops a live choir with orchestra. This is their 2008 Christmas concert. 




Alternatives:
BuynothingChristmas.org - What it says. An organization started by Canadian Mennonites, calling people to change their world and return to the heart of Christmas.


Advent Conspiracy - Calling people from consumption to compassion, encouraging less spending and more giving.