There is something a little strange being in a country that claims to be religiously non-denominational, yet people still seem to put up Christmas trees and pictures of Santa Claus and say “Merry Christmas”. I can’t help but wonder if the meaning of Christmas is changing much more than readily apparent in front of us.
It might be the fact that I have lived overseas for the better part of the last twelve years, often in countries that view Christmas as a “Western” holiday, but this year Christmas seems to be particularly devoid of meaning. I hear the words, I see the decorations, but there aren’t many genuine smiles out there. It seems there’s something else on everybody’s mind.
I know there are things on my mind.
My thoughts turn to what the next few months will be like as winter tightens its grip and work continues to endure lockdowns and warnings and health checks galore. It’s this constant state of worry that makes me look at every month paycheque to paycheque, wondering if we’ll be shut down due to a resurgence of THE VIRUS.
I might be spooked because just this past week we had work cancelled while in Dalian due to an outbreak. In order to leave the city, we had to get NAT tests done and show them at the airport. Not a very cheerful sign of the times.
I suppose the thing that really set me off this year was the simple presence of the Christmas “music” being played, or, rather, the “muzak” that passes off as holiday music. I don’t mean that I hope for another Christmas hit, I mean that the “muzak” being played is devoid of any genuine feeling. And, on the outset, I’d argue that’s it not even religious in nature, which is where Christmas finds so much of history. But, then again, maybe this is what is changing about modern Christmas.
I lamented to another expat the other day about how un-genuine today’s radio music for Christmas really is. This lament was made during one of the pop songs written for the occasion: “I don’t want much for Christmas but you”, whether it was Mariah Carey, The Pogues, or someone else, I can’t remember. The next few songs were all by Michael Bublé and his crooning voice (I can’t fault the guy for that much and, in a way, displacing Frank Sinatra as the warm voice of Christmas music) but they still lack that “meaning of Christmas”. Are they holiday songs? Do they boast family and friends? Do they boast more about love than anything else? In a way, yes, they do. But in a lot of ways, they’re meant more to fill radio waves than bring anybody together or commemorate any occasion.
But these days, more and more, to see Christmas celebrations and hear the words “Merry Christmas” seems a little bit contrived. This “Western” holiday, very much religious in context regardless of whether or not it’s Jesus, candles, the sun, or whatever, doesn’t seem to ring very true, particularly in a country that boasts no affiliation to any religion. I’m not saying people don’t believe, I’ve been to church a few times since being here and each time it was full of people.
Is it just the religious aspect that is missing?
I suppose the other big part of being an expat overseas, especially in a job that doesn’t really know holidays, there seems to be a lack of a preparation for the event. That is to say, aside from the leaves getting blown off the trees and the wind picking up a few notches, there are a few things missing from what I would normally associate with Christmas.
What would make it more like Christmas?
Cold, snow, and religious music. Oh, and food.
There is something about the actual change in climate surrounding Christmas that signalled this day was different from other days in the year. From the first snow fall to the noticeable drop in temperature, to the preparation heading into Christmas Day itself, which would include not least of all religious music, but acquiring ingredients and preparing the traditional (and religious) foods for the occasion.
And what about the music?
There are two shining examples of what I would consider “true Christmas music”.
The first is Fred Penner’s The Season: A Family Christmas. Probably the most eclectic batch of songs recorded by Fred Penner and other guest ensembles. For those of you who don’t know who Fred Penner is, he is known as a children’s entertainer and has a lengthy history of various creative projects, be it his music, TV show, or live appearances.
So why this album?
One look at the track listing shows how diverse it is. Although the album mainly focuses on the religious theme of the holiday, it isn’t all in English. It’s done in several different languages, including French, Ukrainian, Spanish, and others. Yes, the fact that the album contains some Ukrainian Christmas music does make it a little more seasonally appropriate for me personally, but the collection as a whole stands as a good representation of the season.
That brings me to my next example of “real Christmas music”:
Church music, though I grew up with Ukrainian Church music in particular. The most notable recording of this type of music is Hoosli Men’s Choir’s Christmas recordings. I know it’s not popular to boast about the success of men but this choir has, simply put, made the music good. And timeless.
Don’t want to listen to men singing? Then find just about any actual church music that celebrates Christmas and you’ll hear what I mean. Songs such as Boh Previchney, Vo Vefleyemi, Dobri Vechi Tobi, or other songs that relate to the religious origin of the holiday. Even the music of Carol of the Bells (with words later added) is more traditional than what is currently heard on the radio.
The point is, the music that is passed off as “Christmas” on the mainstream broadcasts lacks the depth that religious music has maintained over the years. I suppose it also doesn’t help that these songs are played ad nauseam in the truest sense of those words.
The next thing that makes Christmas much different abroad, especially in a non-denominational country, is the food. Be it a turkey, cranberry sauce, or, for me, kutya and perogies. Given my own work schedule I hardly have the time to prepare the foods that my Mother used to and still does. I know I haven’t spent the time to make it easy for myself to learn and make the Christmas foods despite saying “I’ll do it this year”. That blame lies squarely on me.
What foods am I talking about?
The traditional, Ukrainian Catholic dishes that are served on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: kutia, kolach, holupchi, perogies, borscht, and others. But there was always a notable difference between what was served on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. Christmas Eve foods had no meat or dairy, a type of fast meant to commemorate the sacrifices of what Mary and Joseph went through. Christmas Day allowed just about anything, particularly kubasa, cottage cheese, and other types of perogies. Some of these I could make myself, some of them would require a bit more effort and probably a few attempts to get right.
There are other notable (Ukrainian) Christmas traditions, particularly for the more devote and more traditional families. From attending several church services to wearing traditional clothing, to singing koliadky (Christmas carols) and moving from house to house, these things are a touch harder to replicate outside of the culture they were born in.
So why don’t I make more of an effort to make Christmas more like the Christmas I grew up with?
For one, although the music has gotten easier to find online, the ingredients for food are a bit tougher to find. The clothes for the occasion would require care throughout the year. The church services are in a different language. And, finally, the people around me hail from a different culture and their big quasi-religious (but it’s not) celebration isn’t for another six weeks. It’s hard to imagine them thinking much of me wishing them festive greetings during their holiday season. “Ah, you’re language skills are impressive!” is the most common response. Yes, I guess that’s about all those words can mean at times.
This entire thought process gets me wondering if each religious event or special occasion requires some sort of process of preparation, be it Hanukah, Ramadan, or even Spring Festival.
I haven’t even mentioned the friends and family I grew up with, but this seems like a no-brainer. These people would understand the process, would have seen it over the years and understood the concept of the occasion even if they didn’t always agree with the religiousness of it. Technology has made things easier, and some times more efficient and interesting (eg, “hey, let me just look that up”), than personal get togethers, but it’s also a reminder that when we get together just how fragile that time is.
So, all that being said, is it that I’m just home sick and missing the traditional Ukrainian Christmas that I grew up with?
That might be part of the reason, but there is another part of this wistfulness, one that views the holiday on the other side of a dozen years of travel, that I wonder if Christmas may be changing again, moving away from the Christian birth of Jesus to something more transactional. Am I wrong to think it’s okay to have religious events? Am I wrong to think that Christmas, given it’s name, should retain much of that religiousness? Or is it time to bid adieu to the religious affiliation and simply make the day about gifts and giving, no matter how commercial it is? How would other religious events respond to such an occurrence in their own celebrations?
It’s with those thoughts that I wonder what my views will be like in another ten years’ time. Will I still be “travelling” at that point? Where else will I have been that would change my perception of the event any further? Or will it just be the cranky writings of an aging man?
With that, Merry Christmas, whichever denomination you follow. I hope you are well, safe and happy. After all, isn’t that what most denominations wish?