Finding the Christmas Spirit
A short seasonal essay by Michael Lieber
All in the United Kingdom will know that change in weather, when October is running thin and the cold dark mornings appear, and in truth, I am particularly fond of this time of year, it suits my style perfectly and if it snows then all the better. It is a time where I tend to get quite active, quite social, when Christmas is nearly upon us. Events will be attended, readings will be given, friends will be visited, pints of ale will be drunk, tobacco pipes will be peacefully puffed by the open fire, joyous laughter will ring out to the heavens.
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But confessedly, there are some years, where you find yourself utterly drained by December and lack sufficient zeal to conjure the Christmas spirit or any spirit for that matter.
When one is a child, oh that red and green wonder finds you so easily, but in adulthood, more often than not, one must seek it out, one must throw one's self in to festivities, be sirened by Christmas songs, one must carol away that hardened layer and find the magic within.
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But as some will no doubt ask themselves, in the larger scheme of things, is it important, that we search and find such a faded feeling within ourselves, the Christmas spirit; well I assert it is, because when you strip away the jolly red wrapping paper, what you are left with, in its simplest form, is a feeling of hope, hope for a new year, to push on, to get up and start again, to try new things. Individually and collectively, a feeling of joy at Christmas time is vital.
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But where to find it? Or does one make it? Well, the first thing I do, as a rule, is go to the theatre, around mid to late November, early December; the theatre is your friend and will guide you true. I recommend seeing a pantomime or failing that, a Christmas themed ballet or play. You will be surrounded by others just like you, tired from a heavy year, give yourself over to the collective laughter, the silent awe, the children yelling at the stage.
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And this point brings me quite neatly to a second source of Christmas wonder; children, children are a wonderful short cut to finding the Christmas spirit, as I'm sure any parent will tell you, it is all new to them and their excitement and joy is nothing less than infectious, although it is worth stating, it is a rerouted feeling of cheer that ends up in the same place.
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Christmas is suddenly very important again, not to your individual self, but because it’s important to someone you care about, but I would never refer to it as something akin to 'second hand Christmas spirit' as it is, in some ways, more crucial then experiencing it first hand, for you are now the guide of an early humans own Christmas spirit.
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But now, what else can one say, what else stokes the chestnut fire within us, we've covered theatre, covered children, what about reading; and I must say, if you are engaging with an obscure festive essay such as this, an avid reader you must be.
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Well I do have a recommendation for a Christmas read and I am ambivalent to how embarrassed I should be to confess it, as it is undoubtedly a children's book, but it is also, 'thee' children's book. I speak of course of Alice's adventures in Wonderland by Mr. Lewis Carroll. It has become something of a ritual of mine, I read it almost every year around Christmas time and my mid-length memory has grown so bad of late, that the words read as new every time I pick it up.
But why this book, it is not a Christmas book, true, true, but it does titillate the wonder part of our brain were the Christmas spirit hails from. It is a book that, for the briefest of moments, finds that overgrown path back to childhood.
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This next piece of advice is quite materialistic, but buy an item of clothing in a festive colour that you would never otherwise buy and wear it in public. If you find yourself in front of a dressing room mirror, thinking 'this bright red jumper is not me' then you are on the right track, buy it, step outside yourself, it will jolt your numb nerves.
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And another reason why the Christmas spirit is important, that has just occurred to me, is it aids the separation of time from one year to the next and this is best for one's sanity. A time without time is a mad world indeed.
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And speaking of time, I best bring this short essay to a close, for it is getting late, I need to go to bed, we have just bought an electric blanket I am quite fond of. (It goes under you not over you, as a point of wisdom).
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But yes, important and true, feeling the Christmas spirit is vital. Never let a year end without embracing its caroling bells; Goodnight dear ones.