Christmas Speech

❝What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.❞

― Agnes M. Pahro.

Good Morning! Christmas is almost upon us. As we stand here today, I’d like to ask you to picture a perfect Christmas morning, a gorgeous tree, a million presents, and a gingerbread house- all meeting you after a long night of oversleeping of course. What have I missed? Anyone like to share their idea of a perfect Christmas?

Presents are a monumental part of Christmas for us, and so I’d like to ask: Have you been naughty or nice this year? How many of us are expecting presents tonight? 

Well, I’d like to celebrate this wonderful season of joy and giving by taking this opportunity to make a symbolic toast to everyone who sauntered into my life this year. The good, the bad, and the ugly. You have each taught me something. 

Now to the most important part- how many of us actually know what Christmas is, except for the tip of the iceberg? Beyond the presents and trees and food? 

The celebration of Christmas can be meaningless and maddening, especially if you don’t have access to its deep layers of history and symbolism. You may feel frantic looking for gifts, rather than understanding that gift-giving is a way of celebrating family and friendship, and that Christmas is a time for modeling a Utopian gift economy. You may feel that Christmas is a license to eat and drink too much, and yet the idea of transcending ordinary limits has been part of solstice celebrations for hundreds of years. 

It would be better to enter the spirit of the liminal rather than fight it. Step outside of ordinary time: be of good cheer, give some real gifts, make some good food, and spend more time than usual with friends and family. Sing the carols, knowing that this is the expression of angels. Decorate a tree, knowing that its symbolism reaches deep. String some lights, appreciating that light is the main theme of the season. Christmas is a holy time that invites you to reflect on the most important issues in life, especially escaping the darkness of ignorance and arriving at the light of new understanding and possibility. It ritualizes the birth of your soul. It is the truest form of salvation.

Literally, Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who is believed to be the Son of God. Figuratively? It can be whatever you want it to be. It can be a time when family and friends come together and remember the good things they have. It can be a time where you decide to focus on your goals and take a sabbatical for yourself. It can be a celebration of both the birth of Jesus and the rebirth of your own soul. So what is Christmas really? It is the season of joy and giving. It is the season of hope and remembrance. It is the season of unity and gratitude. But most of all? It is the season of possibility.