When I was a child, it seemed the brightly coloured lights sparkling on our Christmas tree lit up the world. Over the years, I’ve tried clear glass lights, white lights, blue lights on our tree, but I always return to the rainbow of colours of my childhood. Now, my artificial tree has programmable lights. Still, I choose red, white, green, blue, yellow-coloured lights.
To me our Christmas tree is almost sacred. The fragile glass bells of my childhood go on first, up high, where they have been safe for more than seventy years. As Tom carefully places them in the top-most branches, my beloved parents join me, alive in my memories. This year, I remembered one Christmas morning, in particular. I woke early, long before everyone else and crept down the stairs, hoping…There, waiting under the tree, was a blue doll carriage, just like the one in the catalogue. I hadn’t asked for it. As my sister and I flipped through the catalogues, I always stopped at this one picture of a doll carriage, soft blue, so like the real thing. I knew it was way too expensive, but that didn’t keep me from dreaming. Christmas tears still spring to my eyes yet today. I’m sure Mom did without something she needed to make that miracle happen.
On bottom branches, where tiny hands can handle them, I place the three red felt bells, handsewn by my precious daughter at age seven. I can still see her young hands working the needle, hear her satisfaction with a job well done as she hung them on the tree. In the middle hang picture baubles, handmade by grandchildren. So many memories of love gathered in this one beautiful symbol of God’s loving light.
Holding it all together are the lacy strings of popcorn, representing patience, time, and the luxury of food. I breathe in the tempting aroma of corn popping and think about God’s love. As United Church Christians, we believe that God came in Jesus to teach the world that every individual is God’s precious creation, unique, and loved unconditionally. I truly believe that each and every child born, whatever color, creed, gender identification, every child, all over the world, is loved by God. My calling is to love unconditionally, too.
I believe my “Christmas Tree” is much more than a traditional decoration, even more than my memories. Christmas trees speaks of love and loving, symbolize caring and laughter, joy and peace. They are symbols of hope in this dark world. We are all called to be lights, lights of love and acceptance.
I suggest this year, you take time, ten minutes here and there, to let the memories of loved ones dance through your mind. Thank God we have this tradition of memories and light. This year, be thankful for traditions that bring laughter, joy, peace, and always hope; hope that someday, God’s light of love will shine in every corner of the world. All will live in a world of peace, joy and abundance. May it be so.
