A baby's eye view...

What is this thing we call Christmas? We do it every year - devout Christians, atheists, agnostics - nearly everyone in the 'Christian hemisphere' does it. We've always done it. It's like cutting the tail off the Christmas goose before you put it in the oven (poor goose). Once upon a time the oven was too small, so you developed a strategy. Now, well, now no-one can remember why but they do it anyway.

Modern Christmas is like that! Crazy, crazy, crazy! Stress, migraine, mounting debt and still we do it. Shop till you drop. Party till you're pissed. Stuff till you're... well, stuffed!

So what would be the baby's eye view on all this? After all, it all started with a baby, didn't it? A manger full of straw, a draughty stable, a few rustic shepherds... what would Jesus do? WWJD? Words fail us - what would Jesus do? Things seem to have got a little out of hand these past two thousand years. I guess the wise men have something to answer for, starting us off on all this decadence. They came late to the party, we're told, but they brought gifts - gold, smelly stuff, cosmetics - high class stuff! And now we have to bring presents. And that's when the trouble started...

What shall I buy for Aunt Flo? Would Granny like a tin of biscuits? Can I have a mini-fridge for my bedroom, mum? But I wanted a playstation...! I think maybe Jesus is a little bemused right now. The heavenly host too are still waiting for that elusive peace on earth to start and singing their midnight song in the clear night air. Come to that, I'm confused too!

Mind you, when you ask people what they are hoping for this Christmas they often come up with expectations for the season of peace and goodwill that don't sound too much out of line with the original intention - warm, loving family gatherings; chilling out over a good meal and taking time to share some precious moments with your loved ones; a protest against rampant materialism outside St. Paul's Cathedral (WWJD?); helping out at a shelter for the homeless, serving a Christmas meal and a warm smile to those who have nothing in life; inviting the bereaved, the lonely and the oddballs to share a Christmas Day meal with you in your own home; an armistice in the midst of wartime hostilities... Maybe we've forgotten the baby, the donkey and the wise men, but perhaps there's still hope for our poor old human race. There's still some warmth and cheer to be found and still a bit of room at the inn... "Jesus would be with the St. Paul's protesters this Christmas" says Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Maybe he's right.