Thanksgiving week is upon us, and upon my desk lie two tiny figurines to remind me that the magic of this season is beginning. One is a goat, with a broken leg; the other is a donkey, with a missing ear. I am guessing they have been placed here by one of my two daughters (maybe both) who were evidently playing a tad bit too roughly with the Willow Nativity displayed in our show room. A confession of sorts I suppose, but definitely a signal to something deep within me that the magic has begun (even if like the poor livestock, it is sometimes a compromised, complicated and broken magic).
Elly actually alerted me to the beginning of the magic back in late October. I was driving her to preschool on a Thursday morning, basically in autopilot, my mind rummaging through the daily chores that would await me when I returned to the shop after dropping her off, when suddenly Elly awoke me from my morning daze. “Daddy! Look! The frozen magic is on the ground!” Elly shouted to me in her quite normally loud voice. Having been rather unaware of anything going on outside of the small space I had been occupying inside my mind, I had to ask her what she was talking about. “The frozen magic is on the ground,” she repeated, “Elsa froze the ground!” I looked out the car window and realized what was causing her such excitement. The dawn's due had frozen upon the fields of green by which we were driving, and the tiny blades of grass were glistening under the soft, early morning sun. The season's first frost. I explained to Elly what had actually happened, but something childlike inside of her preferred her Disney-like Frozen interpretation. Something childlike inside of me preferred it too, and as we drove on I began to feel the first inkling of anticipation for the magical season that would soon arrive.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are and have always been by far my most cherished holidays of the year. Snow fall, late nights, burning fires, popping popcorn, special movies, family dinners, loving embraces, gift surprises, traveling visitors, bright lights, merry songs, sweet treats, bundled outfits, speeding sleds, frozen ponds, iced skating, sprinkled cookies, Thanksgiving parades, football games, Christmas programs, etc, etc, etc. I could probably go on and on forever recollecting those happy memories from holidays past, both specific and generic in my mind – not a bad exercise in thought, actually.
Since our family came to Broadview we have taken on some new celebrations as well. This past Saturday we hosted the shop's annual Holiday Open House. We have quickly come to recognize it as a special time for us with the proverbial halls decked in our showroom, Christmas music playing through the overhead speakers, delicious treats put out for the partaking, the Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus and Amaryllis prominently displayed in the greenhouse, and most importantly, our dedicated staff brimming with holiday spirit for a friendly day of greeting between neighbor and friend alike.
It was a good time added to the many good times that these holidays have brought and will continue to bring. But as fun as it is to reminisce about the events and the celebrations, they still do not encompass what it is that makes this season so magical. And I want to go there, to where it is that we truly find the magic of this season.
It is warmly situated between you and your immediate family gathered around the table to cut the turkey. It is between you and your friends reunited and exchanging hugs and laughter over cocktails. It is between you and your coworkers celebrating the past year's achievements at the holiday party. It is between you and your neighbors as together you spread a little joy and a little light in the neighborhood. And it is between you and the stranger passing by while sharing generous smiles one with another. Ultimately the magic is in you, and in me, and in us being together a little bit more than usual during these tender couple of months.
I also think it is important, even at the risk of sobering our holiday spirits, to remember that the peace of this magic is not dependent on happiness per say. It is still there between the family gathered round the table, celebrating for the first time without someone dearly beloved. It is still there between the friends sharing hugs and tears rather than laughter, over perhaps slightly stiffer drinks to take the edge off of some loss or disappointment. It is still there between coworkers who might be gathering outside of the context of a staff party to share in commiseration regarding frozen wages, loss of benefits or even layoff. And it is still there, perhaps even more importantly, between neighbors and strangers when rather than sharing smiles, joy or light, we are sharing just that little something to help one another barely get by... Regardless of our circumstances, being together to share our joys and our sorrows is what really makes this season magical.
Looking back upon those two little figurines on my desk, I like that the goat's leg is broken, and that the donkey's ear is missing. Their brokenness cannot and does not change what those graceful and noble beasts witnessed beneath the light of a bright star and chorus of angels on that day that marks where this magical season is heading. This donkey and this goat were taught something special about solidarity and about the intimate giving of one's self to another. Whether you learn that truth from the story of the Incarnation through the Nativity and the birth of Emmanuel, God with us; or whether you learn it through a song-laden Disney story of one princess sister Anna choosing to stand with her princess sister Elsa through sunshine and storm, even at the risk of ultimate self-sacrifice; or through whatever story and story teller you learn that truth – it is a truth we can universally agree upon and put into practice in our own lives. And it is this truth that makes all of the difference.
Like the goat and donkey, you and I are in some ways broken, but like them, our brokenness cannot and does not change the powerful, magical truth of solidarity and togetherness that we can offer one another and celebrate during this holiday season. Yes, I can (and shamelessly will) suggest to you that you can enhance the magic of this season by sending your loved ones a Thanksgiving centerpiece for the dinner table, a gorgeous Christmas Poinsettia by the big window in the family room, or any of the wonderful holiday decor and gift items that we have to sell. But the real magic is you. Offer yourself to those you love, be present to them during these special days, and you will make those memories worth holding on to for a lifetime.
From your friends at Broadview – we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas this holiday season!
