In 1818, Franz Gruber along with a young priest, Father Joseph Mohr celebrated their Christmas Mass by creating a song known simply as Silent Night. Since its creation the song has been translated and recorded in 140 different languages in all sorts of musical genres. The song was created to celebrate the lord on the holiday of Christmas. Little did the creators realize, but the song would serve a drastically different purpose nearly 100 years later.
When the first World War began neither side believed it would go on for very long, but just six months after it had began over 1,000,000 lives had been lost and all sides were entrenched. In the week leading up to Christmas, both British and German (and a few French) soldiers began softening their stances. Some talked to each other and even the occasional soldier ventured out. This led to the one unofficial ceasefire of the war. On Christmas Eve and Christmas day soldiers from both the German and British trenches went out into "No Man's Land" along the Western Front and celebrated Christmas together. A few days in which fighting would cease and light frivolity would ensue. Together they buried their dead, swapped stories, exchanged gifts, and a little football was played. Even some singing was recorded. Since neither side spoke the same language only one song was recognized by both troops; Silent Night was sung and celebrated for a night in which not a single gun was fired. It was truly silent.
Today when I celebrate Christmas I think first of this story. I think that even in the horrific trials of war that humanity still manages to seep out. I don't try to trivialize the importance of the Christmas Truce of 1914 by relating to my own life, but merely think about the power that one song, one holiday can have on a people.
When I was a child I never truly appreciated the 'meaning' of Christmas. I know that some of my friends would say that the 'meaning' of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, but this is not the 'meaning' I am speaking of. I do not believe in the religious affiliations attributed to Christmas, but I do appreciate and celebrate the spirituality of the holiday, and I do mean the divine spirituality that opens its heart to humanity.
I had a very difficult childhood. It was filled with alcoholism, loss, despair, absence, and sadness, but it also had bright moments of clear happiness. One of those occurrences was always on Christmas. The presents, the food, the watching of A Christmas Story, and of course a hearty game of Monopoly all were pastimes in the Freeman/Swanson residence. Those are fond memories. Of days filled with joy. Of cats running through and eating the wrapping paper and of tables piled high with meats and potatoes. But from those days my fondest memory was not of the food, the tree, the presents, or the games. The movies or the stockings. What I remember most, and miss the most is my family. Despite the problems of our year, Christmas was a time where all of that seemed to disappear. Perhaps I was naive and we were just putting out problems under the rug to be taken out the next day, but I choose to remember days filled with laughter, with joy, and with hope.
Those days are distant memories. My parents are divorced and remarried. My uncle has a wonderful wife of his own and my siblings and I have grown up and moved to different sides of the country with different friends and different terms for 'family'. Each Christmas I try something different whether it be time in South Carolina, Chicago, or this year in Arizona. I develop new traditions and try new things. In my own way I am still trying to find out what this new world holds for me in terms of family. I find myself drifting off into memories of the past. Unlike the soldiers of WWI, my 'war' has ended, but my Christmas have changed.
All of this is meant to say that Christmas doesn't make me sad, it just doesn't make me feel the same way I used to. But I feel as though as time goes by that, for me, Christmas is not a holiday. It is a state of being. It is a way to live your life. For Christians, it is a way for you to honor your savior by giving thanks and celebrating him daily. For me, it is a way to always be with my family. My brother, sister, father, and mother will always be my family, but this change has opened my eyes to realize what was there all along. My family is not just my blood. Many of you are my family. I brought one of those new family members, Ann, down to Arizona with me. And for all the rest, when I see you, we will celebrate our Christmas.
My Christmas's are now unchartered territory, but as I stare out into the starry Arizona sky, I think that this silent night brings more adventures, more traditions, and most importantly more family. And I am thankful for that.
Merry Christmas to all of you who make my life truly spectacular.
~Grant
