So this is Christmas

My favorite Christmas song, narrowly edging out “The Little Drummer Boy,” is “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” written and performed by John Lennon.

I love those first words of the song – “So this is Christmas.” They speak to me, not of gifts, parties, trees and dinners, but of that magic moment when, sometime in the midst of that special day’s chaos, we feel the love and joy – ah, so this is Christmas!

In his short song Lennon reaches out to everyone: “The near and the dear ones, the old and the young … for weak and for strong, for rich and for poor ones … for black and for white, for yellow and red ones” – adding a timely message for us now – “let’s stop all the fight.”

Lennon could have never written and would never have sung “White Christmas,” as beautiful as it is. The songs however are related with one dreaming of Christmas Day and the other experiencing it, at least for a moment.

In his song, Lennon finally – after what is always described as a difficult childhood from a broken home and then his mother dying while he was a child – seems to come to understand and feel Christmas. And feeling it shares it with the world – passing it on as hope for those who still don’t know what it’s all about.

Within the simple song Lennon wishes us, “A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year,” adding, “Let’s hope it’s a good one, without any fear.” I hope you hear his song this year.

So for us, this is Christmas 2014 with all that means in gatherings of family and friends. I wish you a blessed, joy-filled Christmas – one with that special moment that makes everything worthwhile. All the best for New Year 2015 too!


 

Mel Maurer

Mel Maurer lives in Westlake.

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Volume 6, Issue 25, Posted 9:35 AM, 12.09.2014