Post by michael on Dec 2, 2015 21:30:07 GMT
Because it’s Christmas
It was Peter’s favourite time of the day; upstairs with his two children, talking with them before they went off to sleep. Eight year old Mandy would talk all night, given the chance, but five year old Jeremy preferred to have a story read to him. It was coming up to Christmas, the schools had broken up and Peter knew that his wife Dianne had taken them into town to see the decorations.
“It was lovely, Dad. Lots of shops were dressed up with lights and Xmas trees and reindeers and things”
“I’ll bet it was great. Did you buy a present for anyone, someone close to you, whilst you were there?” “No. Mum said that there was nothing you really wanted”.
Jeremy had has been thinking: “Dad, why do we give presents at Christmas time?”
“Because it’s a time to celebrate, be generous and to enjoy ourselves” his Dad explained.
“But what are we celebrating? It’s nobody’s birthday is it?”
“Well actually, in a way, it is somebody’s birthday. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ”. “Do you know him” asked Jeremy quite innocently.
“Oh no, this happened around 2000 years ago”.
“2015 years ago to be exact” said Mandy, just to look clever, adding “A long time ago when there were Egyptians around, it was all BC meaning Before Christ, but when Jesus arrived it became AD, after er..something or other”.
“Where did this happen?” Jeremy asked. “In Bethlehem” his sister told him. “Where is that?” Their father decided it was time to clarify the issue.
“It was in the Middle East, what is now known as Isreal, but then it was part of the Roman Empire”. “Did they have snow and fir trees and reindeer like we do here?” Not an unreasonable question. “More like desserts and palm trees I would imagine” Dad admitted. Mandy suggested an explanation to the problem.
“It’s traditional: we sometimes have snow and ice in the middle of winter so we make the best of it and have a party”. Jeremy was becoming a little confused.
“I remember we had a big turkey last Christmas. Did they have turkeys in Bedelydam?”. “Of course not” retorted Mandy in a rather superior manner. “Turkeys had not been invented in Jesus time”.
“Actually, turkeys came from America” their father told them.
“America! That is nowhere near Turkey! So why should people call them turkeys?” Mandy was genuinely bewildered.
Peter had to come up with an explanation. “When they were first introduced, people thought them exotic, and probably came from an exotic place like Turkey”.
“They are really ugly creatures. I’ve seen pictures of them with their heads on”. Mandy was not convinced. “But they taste good”
Jeremy was looking for some reassurance. “But we will keep Father Christmas, won’t we? I like Father Christmas, he brings me nice presents”.
“Don’t worry, he is brought in specially for children like you”. Mandy often enjoyed playing the Big Sister role.
“So you are happy to keep Father Christmas and turkeys, are you?” The children nodded. “What about reindeers? Are they sufficiently traditional?”
Jeremy had a good think. “I have never seen a reindeer, so I am happy to do away with them” Peter was interested to see how far this could go. “And what about elves?”
“What’s elves?” asked Jeremy. “What do they do?”
“They help Father Christmas deliver his presents” Peter told him with a smile.
Jeremy was not impressed. “He could do it much easier using the internet. No need for elves”. Peter now understood how Christmas had evolved.
It was Peter’s favourite time of the day; upstairs with his two children, talking with them before they went off to sleep. Eight year old Mandy would talk all night, given the chance, but five year old Jeremy preferred to have a story read to him. It was coming up to Christmas, the schools had broken up and Peter knew that his wife Dianne had taken them into town to see the decorations.
“It was lovely, Dad. Lots of shops were dressed up with lights and Xmas trees and reindeers and things”
“I’ll bet it was great. Did you buy a present for anyone, someone close to you, whilst you were there?” “No. Mum said that there was nothing you really wanted”.
Jeremy had has been thinking: “Dad, why do we give presents at Christmas time?”
“Because it’s a time to celebrate, be generous and to enjoy ourselves” his Dad explained.
“But what are we celebrating? It’s nobody’s birthday is it?”
“Well actually, in a way, it is somebody’s birthday. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ”. “Do you know him” asked Jeremy quite innocently.
“Oh no, this happened around 2000 years ago”.
“2015 years ago to be exact” said Mandy, just to look clever, adding “A long time ago when there were Egyptians around, it was all BC meaning Before Christ, but when Jesus arrived it became AD, after er..something or other”.
“Where did this happen?” Jeremy asked. “In Bethlehem” his sister told him. “Where is that?” Their father decided it was time to clarify the issue.
“It was in the Middle East, what is now known as Isreal, but then it was part of the Roman Empire”. “Did they have snow and fir trees and reindeer like we do here?” Not an unreasonable question. “More like desserts and palm trees I would imagine” Dad admitted. Mandy suggested an explanation to the problem.
“It’s traditional: we sometimes have snow and ice in the middle of winter so we make the best of it and have a party”. Jeremy was becoming a little confused.
“I remember we had a big turkey last Christmas. Did they have turkeys in Bedelydam?”. “Of course not” retorted Mandy in a rather superior manner. “Turkeys had not been invented in Jesus time”.
“Actually, turkeys came from America” their father told them.
“America! That is nowhere near Turkey! So why should people call them turkeys?” Mandy was genuinely bewildered.
Peter had to come up with an explanation. “When they were first introduced, people thought them exotic, and probably came from an exotic place like Turkey”.
“They are really ugly creatures. I’ve seen pictures of them with their heads on”. Mandy was not convinced. “But they taste good”
Jeremy was looking for some reassurance. “But we will keep Father Christmas, won’t we? I like Father Christmas, he brings me nice presents”.
“Don’t worry, he is brought in specially for children like you”. Mandy often enjoyed playing the Big Sister role.
“So you are happy to keep Father Christmas and turkeys, are you?” The children nodded. “What about reindeers? Are they sufficiently traditional?”
Jeremy had a good think. “I have never seen a reindeer, so I am happy to do away with them” Peter was interested to see how far this could go. “And what about elves?”
“What’s elves?” asked Jeremy. “What do they do?”
“They help Father Christmas deliver his presents” Peter told him with a smile.
Jeremy was not impressed. “He could do it much easier using the internet. No need for elves”. Peter now understood how Christmas had evolved.