I'm not religious, I'm spiritual. However, that said, I'm seriously Missing Jesus At Christmas these days. :(

Do you remember the beautiful, sparkling, Advent Calendars we used to have which told The Christmas Story and every window was so lovely to open, Mary, Joseph, Their Donkey, The Innkeeper, The Stable, The Crib, The Three Wise Kings, The Shepherds, Herod, The Angel Gabriel, and amongst all these were Robins and Camels and Bethlehem Houses and Shining Stars....until finally, FINALLY, on Christmas Eve, you opened the last window and THERE was...Baby Jesus! :)

There wasn't a piece of chocolate in sight, nor a jelly, nor a Latest Disney Film Character, nor nail varnishes, nor perfumes, nor hand creams.....

Just Jesus and his family and The Ancient Story of Ancient Times.......

And you'd go to bed feeling the Something Special was happening and that the next day would be even MORE special, for, to CELEBRATE the BIRTH and WONDER of Baby Jesus presents were given and exchanged and that one day was so precious, so to be TREASURED.....

You could barely sleep....and around 4am the delicious smell of Roasting Turkey (apologies to all turkeys, everywhere) began to fill the house and you would hear your Mum downstairs, clattering away in the kitchen, whilst everyone else was asleep.....

Except you.......and you'd just lie there almost too excited to MOVE.....

And the year you played Mary in the school nativity was even MORE exciting and special, because YOU got to HOLD Baby Jesus, and, you were dressed in beautiful costumes, one for travelling across the desert with Joseph, a royal blue long dress, and an exact matching Nun's headdress too, which made you feel all snuggly, for the outfit was heavy and SO well made too. You and Joseph walked across the stage, you so tired, for Jesus was soon to be born....and Joseph, (who was played by the kindest boy in your class, John Welch, for whom you had a bit of a soft spot and thus, were so shy of) helped you walk as you became more and more tired, looking after you, being so kind. And then, finally, The Moment Arrived and as The Curtains Closed, your teachers helped you out of your travelling clothes and into your White Satin dress, with its' pale blue satin headdress,,,and you and Joseph went to The Crib, you sitting down, your hand on your new baby, Joseph standing proudly beside you...and SWOOOOOOSH! went the curtains again...and "OHHHHHHHHHHHH!" went all the infants and juniors as they gazed upon the scene we all knew SO well from Christmases Past.....and you had tears in your eyes....... Dress Affordable wearing suitable for the wedding of the tall bride

THAT year, Already Special Christmas felt SUPER SPECIAL for heck, YOU'd been in Mary's Shoes (OK, they were your plimsoles, but....) and you felt The Story of Jesus even MORE deeply.....and everything sparkled even more than it normally did....The Christmas Tree shimmered more, The Turkey made your mouth water more, The Presents meant more....

You felt even safer, even more excited, even more happy....

And as you dared to feel the bottom of the bed with your feet, as you still lay snuggled under your sheets, blankets and eiderdown, you suddenly found that Father Christmas HAD been in the middle of the night and had filled your Christmas Stocking! You lay there marvelling how he did that....but he DID and he did it EVERY YEAR too....

But it was Jesus' Birth Day above all else and thus, such a special, special day...

Later, there'd be Carols From Bethlehem on the television and that was just MAGICAL! BETHLEHEM in your house, in your lounge, on the television! BETHLEHEM filled with the most beautiful voices all pouring out love to Jesus......

I MISS those days SO much.........

He's been uninvited to his own celebration now....and it seems as if The Devil has taken over...who came and wiped out Mary, Joseph and Jesus, who replaced Everything Spiritual with Everything Materialistic.....

Perhaps it's way past time we sent Jesus an invitation again, brought back The Advent Calendars of The Christmas Story, throwing away all The Materialistic Bullshit that has Suffocated Christmas, Christ Mass...because we seem to have lost our Humanity in choosing to pretty much ignore, deride and decry a man whose entire story was about Being Human, Being Kind, Being Loving.

Just a few thoughts from a now Very Old Former Mary who still remembers The Time Of Innocence when the world felt safe, and warm and loving...and there was a Purpose For Christmas, above all else...and that Purpose Was....Jesus.

I MISS Jesus at Christmas...... :( <3