Aluredian 41
O
riginally Christmas was the
celebration by Christians of the
birth of Jesus Christ. Two
thousand years later children are still
dressed up and sent to endless carol
services and dragged kicking and
screaming from their pile of long awaited,
unopened Christmas presents. But,
beneath all the lights, decorations and
presents, is there God? No-one actually
knows when Jesus was born; the 25th
December is most likely a date picked at
random.
The build-up to Christmas is huge; I know
this having purchased a chocolate Santa in
September. For some, I suspect this buildup
is actually more exciting than Christmas
Day itself; as soon as the summer is over
and the nights start drawing in, attention
immediately turns to the winter festivities.
Every tree and shop window is draped in
lights and baubles, skating rinks pop up in
most car parks, you can buy Quality Street
everywhere, and Christmas trees dominate
every entrance.
But to contrast every child's ecstatic
impatience to open the doors on their
Advent calendar one by one, there are
many grouchy, grumpy adults constantly
commentating on repetitive Christmas
tunes being played over and over again
too loudly, having to labour away writing
Christmas cards to everyone they know,
and cursing over the work parties they
have a 'duty' to attend.
Many people say the point of Christmas is
for friends and family to come together
and celebrate the end of that year while
looking forward to the next, for them to
laugh, joke, and play stupid games and
enjoy the excitement of toddlers opening
their presents. Most years the reality is
slightly different. My lie-in is destroyed by
my younger brother stamping along the
landing to announce that he is awake and
ready to open those presents.
After we've all opened our stockings
together I pad downstairs to the first
argument of the day, "when to put the
turkey in?", and instead of being greeted by
a cheerful "Merry Christmas" I'm sent off to
hoover while others are set to peeling
vegetables and trying to tire the dogs on a
long walk before everyone arrives.
It's the same every year, we'll do our
'duty', go to church, clean, anything to get
a bit closer to opening our presents.
When everyone has arrived, with plates
piled high with food, the adults take the
opportunity of having everyone around the
table to let all their opinions of each other
flow out and follow this by getting revenge
in a very heated game of poker.
Christmas Day always ends with everyone
crowded around the television with the
Quality Street, with a huge risk of being
murdered by my mum and aunties if you
even look like you're going to talk during
Downton Abbey.
I think that the point of Christmas is family,
friends, and traditions. Even if the day
itself isn't that enjoyable, it does give
people something to talk and think about
in the middle of a bleak winter.
Megan Roberts AS Lara Rodgers AS Amelia Clark GCSE
What is the point
of Christmas?
by Helena Winsey