Alexa, play Last Christmas. And just like that, I found myself regaled with George Michael’s endearing voice. Against a backdrop of lucid music on a freezing Chicagoan afternoon.
The place, a friend’s apartment. The day, Christmas Day. The year, 2016.
Only moments earlier, my friend had asked what song I would like to hear. On a whim, I chose Last Christmas. Only seconds later, my friend’s cell buzzed. He seemed shellshocked, as he listened to the voice on the other line. Then he looked at us and said, “George Michael is no more.”
Call it serendipity, call it what you like. I chose to remember George Michael only moments after he passed. Just so you know, I had not listened to Last Christmas in years. Ironically, as the song played, I could not believe that this would be the legend’s last Christmas.
The month of December, to many, signifies love
Ever since the days I would gleefully insert the video cassette of Last Christmas in my now-obsolete (and non-existent) VCR, the month of December, to me, has signified love.
Christmas is about the sweet love of singing carols and inviting the Lord into our hearts. In the good old days, Christmas came a day earlier (at least in Mumbai!). Back then, Christmas Eve parties were quite the rage. Everyone wanted to celebrate Christmas on the 24th itself, but they did not quite know how. After all, Christmas brunches in five-star hotels were unaffordable to most, including yours truly. Oh, and you could strike the Christians off that Christmas party list. They were busy actually celebrating Christmas by attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve (in case you did not know, ‘Christmas’ is but an abbreviated version of the phrase, ‘Christ’s Mass’).
But that is the beauty of Christmas. You do not have to attend Mass to think you are doing Christmas right. Some of us drink hard and raise our glasses at midnight on Christmas Eve, screaming “Merry Christmas” like hooligans. Yet others invoke the lord’s name in silence. To some, Christmas is also about surrender. One of the reasons I have forever been attracted to Christianity is the sweet surrender of Jesus to the cross. A surrender sans fear, all so that he could bear the sins of humankind. I do not think there is anything Jesus expects in return, other than for us to love as a form of surrender. Without thinking of what the other person might feel or say. This includes loving our enemies, too.
Why not make resolutions for the end of the year?
Be a Santa Claus for others by giving them the gift of your company
PixabayWhen I was a child, I believed in Santa Claus. I really thought I would find some presents in my living room when I woke up on Christmas morning. This despite the fact that we had no Christmas tree. All year, I did my best to be ‘nice’. Undoubtedly, I failed miserably! Though we know it is a myth, the legend of Santa Claus lives on stronger than ever. Over the last few years, I have seen a profusion of Santa hats all over. Okay, most people do it to look cool (and take some pictures for Instagram), but there is nothing quite as Christmassy as catching a glimpse of a Santa hat. Before you know it, you are wearing one yourself!
For me, Christmas is not just about surrender. It is also about sacrifice. After all, Jesus sacrificed himself so we might have a better life. But can we do the same for others? By sacrificing our happiness for people, like not buying a new laptop for ourselves, but rather gifting one to our chauffeur, whose daughter is in dire need of one?
We are making New Year resolutions already. But why not make resolutions for the end of the year? Such as telling people we love how much they mean to us. Such as gently placing our hand on the shoulder of an aged person to let them know that they have our support. Such as smiling at a stranger on a train or stopping momentarily to take in the scenery that lights up the favourite corners of our favourite cities.
Christmas is also the time when people come together and eat a big fat meal. Ah! The gift of Christmas pudding… But the proof of the pudding is in the meeting! This Christmas, more than anything else, let us try to meet people. Getting out of the rut of WhatsApp chats, let us meet others at a coffee shop or (if you are in Mumbai like myself) at a promenade by the sea.
When you message people, you catch a glimpse of their minds. When you meet them, you peer into their souls.
It is true that bringing people together is the hardest thing. But if you know someone who is going to be alone this Christmas, you might want to call them over for a Christmas lunch, turkey et al. And in case you cannot meet them, just tell them how special they are. All it takes is a few kind words to brighten someone’s day.
Let us all love hard this Christmas season. If those Christmas decorations imply anything, it is this: All December it’s Christmas!
In the words of George Michael (albeit slightly paraphrased):
This Christmas, let’s give someone our heart,
Even if, the very next day,
They give it away…
Rohit Trilokekar is a novelist from Mumbai who flirts with the idea of what it means to love. His heart’s compass swerves ever so often towards Kolkata, the city he believes has the most discerning literary audience.
