Sunday afternoon I went with a German family I know here in Wichita to a Christmas performance held in a church and organized by the community. 

Kids were performing Mary and Joseph’s walk to Bethlehem and Jesus’ birth. They also showed when the three kings brought the gifts such as gold, frankincense and myrrh. The actors wore the traditional clothes for their roles, and the other kids who were singing and reading were dressed formally. 

Besides performing why Christmas is celebrated, the kids also made aware of what is important for us on Christmas. 

It wouldn`t be Christmas without lights. Houses are decorated in all different colors, and when walking through the neighborhood of College Hill, one house is decorated nicer than the other ones. Snowmen, Santa Claus figures climbing up the chimney and illuminated reindeer slides are set up by Christmas-loving families. People announce that it is Christmas, and want to make aware of it. 

It wouldn`t be Christmas without the music. Don`t we love it when going into a store and listening to “Jingle Bells,” “Winter Wonderland” or “Last Christmas?” Even though we already heard it thousands of times, it is part of a tradition, and, when being honest, we most want to listen to those songs. When going to church we sing along with “The First Noel,” “Joy to the World” or “Silent Night.” Music warms our hearts and puts us in the Christmas mood that is necessary for the advent time. 

It wouldn`t be a Christmas without cookies, gingerbread, hot tea and coffee, and the smell of cinnamon. In Germany there are Christmas markets in the advent period where one can buy handcrafted Christmas accessories, typical sweet Christmas baking and traditional hot beverages such as mulled wine. Whenever I go to those markets I love the smell of fried cinnamon stars and fresh baked Christmas cookies which go deep into my nose, and which arouse a feeling of happiness and peace. 

And last but not least, it wouldn`t be Christmas without being with your family. Even though one might not have a flawless family, and one might feel annoyed by several members, Christmas is best when spending the time with your mom, dad, and/or brother or sister. Of course it depends on the importance of Christmas to everyone if it is essential for one to spend the Eve with family or not. 

Christmas is not so much a religious event anymore, but rather a tradition. Some make business out of it, and some say it has nothing to do anymore with the intrinsic value, but it is just pure materialism when thinking about the gift giving. Nevertheless, if one does not like Christmas, I have to compare him or her to Mr. Scrooge from “A Christmas Carol,” who hates Christmas and who calls it humbug. If you are against materialism, do not “buy” anything but use your mind and create a poem. Christmas implies love, and if one does not like Christmas, or does not care about it, there must be a lack of love either given to, or receiving from, others. This might sound extremely poetic or sad, but it also does sound true. 

The manner of celebrating and enjoying Christmas differs from one person to another, but I still wish to everyone a peaceful and harmonious Christmas in one`s own way. 

Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noel! Feliz Navidad! Feliz Natal! Frohe Weihnachten! Veselé Vianoce! Sretan Bozic!