My grownup Noël wish

I just returned from ten days in the States, ten days in the month of December, ten days of Christmas carols everywhere I went. “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…”

(By the way, if there are any artists out there who would like to write some NEW Christmas carols we would all appreciate a break from Burl, Bing and everybody doing the ∞ + 1st version of “Frosty.”)

In the USA decorations and lights were everywhere. “O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum…”


Now I didn’t arrive until Dec. 1, but feel pretty confident that the decorations were up in time for Black Friday. Does the "Christmas spirit" really need to include bracing oneself for hysteria when embarking on an “elfing” trip, i.e. shopping? “Toyland, toyland…”


Call me jaded but I can’t seem to disabuse myself from the feeling that some high power Scrooges (greedy people) have co-opted Christmas.

Do you want to sing to me, “You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch!” ?

Well, before you do, please know that I am processing all of this too. I like candles and trimmings, getting and giving presents. The latter so much so that I grow anxious about whether they will actually make the recipients happy. “I’m dreaming of an anxiety-filled Christmas just like the ones I used to know”?!

Nope, I don’t have this all straightened out either. It just seems like Christmas has taken on an artificial life of its own divorced from an original sense of celebration, of anticipation. “O come o come Emmanuel…”

I wrote this entry in the train, traveling through the French countryside on my way home to Dijon. I went through Paris' Gare de Lyon and heard no carol nor saw a single decoration. In Paris, I overheard an American woman declare, "They don't have enough decorations here!"

In France Christmas is not about naked materialism; it’s all about food, family and friends. But most of my French friends are cognizant of the fact that grandmère imposed gluttony, (as much as they may appreciate grandma’s cuisine and grandpa's wine) is not the primary meaning of Christmas.

Here, however, most people would be hard pressed to come up with the fundamental meaning for Noël beyond somehow being about “le petit bébé Jésus dans la crèche” (the little baby Jesus in the manger). “Il est né le divin enfant” — the French equivalent of “Away in a Manger”.)

Between the extreme approaches of hijacking or ignorance of Christmas is reflective celebration of CHRIST-mass. P-R Delcamp put it in song (here is a rough translation from the original French):

Jesus—Yahweh is salvation
Emmanuel—God with us
Luminary that enlightens
Shines to the Father’s glory
Royalty! Majesty!
Peace in the hearts of people
Who honor the Son of God!

Glory to God to the heights of the heavens
Peace on earth to those who praise him
Brilliant glory blazes out
Transcendent joy resounds
Holy infant! Divine child!
Peace in the hearts of people
Let's praise the Son of God.

My friend Wayne, recently shared some reflections on faith, hope and love. He said that faith manifests itself in quiet confidence, hope in peaceful joy, and love… well in Jesus. “Joy to the world the Lord has come!”

My grownup Christmas wish for us this Noël is to discover, re-discover or deepen our appreciation for these most precious gifts: faith, hope and love—quiet confidence, peaceful joy and Jesus.

On behalf of my teammates and our families of faith here in Europe we wish you a:
Feliz Natal
Feliz Navidad
Nollaig faoi mhaise duit Frohe Weihnachten
VESELÉ VÁNOCE
Joyeux Noël !
Merry Christmas!

Warmly, paul

P.S. some of the above photos were taken in the Dijon Fair Trade Café, others at the Evangelical Protestant Church of East Dijon. I'll let you try to figure out which ones :-)