Jane and I recently visited Charlecote House, Packwood House and Badesley Clinton. Each house was dressed for Christmass, Charlecote was Tudor, Badesley Clinton was Victorian and Packwood House was the 1920's.
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It was
fascinating to reflect on the changes and the ‘mood’ of the time. For the
Tudors it was very much a religious festival with an emphasis on feasting and
celebration. The Victorian’s brought
many of the Christmass traditions we know today with a greater focus on the
family. It was a picture of the Royal Family around a Christmass tree that
boosted that idea. The perfect family,
the perfect food, making for the perfect celebration. Gift giving increased and
Christmass cards and crackers also became a common feature. All this very much influenced by Charles
Dicken’s and ‘The Christmass Carol.’ In
the 1920’s it was all glitz and glam as war time austerity gave way to a boom
period and a lot of the ‘stuffy old ways’ were cast off.
I wonder what might be said of our time?
Certainly,
the Christian emphasis has declined. I
remember going to a Christmass Service in HMP Stafford. They were always
splendid occasions, and such was their popularity they had to run two Services. One time there was a sketch where a newspaper
reporter was dispatched because there was news of a special baby that was going
to be born. Enter, Mary and Joseph, yes, both male prisoners! Then as the photographer lined them up he
said, “no something is missing. We need a bit more atmosphere.” Some animals
were brought in, again men dressed up.
And it continued as the photographer brought on more and more people and
more and props and things, presents, Christmass tree. As all this was happening, Mary, Joseph and
the baby were being obscured and couldn’t been seen anymore. At this the
photographer said, “right, now that’s the perfect Christmass picture.”
It was a
very powerful message and sadly one that holds true as the focus on the birth
of the Christ child shifts more towards the gift giving and the ‘illusion’ of
what makes for the perfect Christmass.
Gordon
Bailey put it well in a simple line…
Christmas/sacred
or Christ/massacred – it depends on where you draw the line!
That is the
reason you will notice I always spell Christmass with two ss at the end. (I
have taught my spell checker to accept this.) Remembering that the name ‘mass’ comes
from the Latin word missa. In Latin the Mass ended with Ite
missa est which translated into English means “Go, it is sent,” the
“it” being the Church. The Mass gets its name from the liturgical dismissal at
its conclusion.
This is then
linked to Missio Dei , a Latin Christian theological term that can be
translated as the "mission of God", or the "sending of
God".
Christ Mass
– Christmass sums this up perfectly – Jesus the God sent one.
And I also
find people occasionally question why I have spelled Christmass incorrectly,
which gives an opportunity to explain. Christmass is God’s Mission in sending
the Saviour who comes to bring reconciliation of all things.
However, for
that to be realised we must follow the Missio Dei from the Child in the
Crib to the Christ on the Cross. The crib and cross are inextricably linked. It may be a tad controversial, but I would argue that ‘baby’ Jesus does not bring peace or even salvation. Baby Jesus could only do what all babies do! We have to allow him to grow up, watch him do the things he did and heed the words he says and the message he brings.
Thorns and straw go together....
https://youtu.be/uzNOKLuKjsM?si=fNHsHxAVqAKYHmge
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