Christmas Newsletter 2024

December 2024 and January 2025

‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas’ sang Judy Garland in 1944 - a perennial Christmas favourite. But today’s Christmas is not little. In the long run-up to Christmas UK advertisers will spend £10 billion promoting seasonal products and activities. The average UK consumer is expected to spend £600 on presents, food, decorations etc, rising to £1,000 in London and the SE. A third of families are likely to get into debt. Christmas today is big business. The joyful celebration of God coming to be with us in the babe in Bethlehem has become an expensive shopping frenzy, with relentless pressure to buy often unwanted, unnecessary gifts.

‘Let your heart be light’ the song tells us. But jolly images of family parties rub salt in the wounds of people who are lonely and struggling. Weeks of unrealistic build-up often lead to exhaustion and anti-climax. Much of the world is far from ‘merry’ with war in the Middle East, Ukraine, the Sudan and other less reported conflicts, millions hungry, homeless, abused and exploited through manmade and natural disasters. Worry, sickness, aging and death affect rich and poor alike, regardless of the Season. For many people the song’s original second line, ‘It may be your last,’ is starkly true.

But Christmas isn’t supposed to be something you have ‘yourself’. The first Christmas – the ‘reason for the Season’ - is God coming to us in Jesus, showing humanity a different way to live, inviting us to build peace on earth by treating everyone as we’d like them to treat us. God’s generous, unselfish, unconditional way of love gives the world reason to be ‘merry’. And makes ‘our heart be light’ when we bring a little joy, hope, peace and goodwill to someone in need, when we care enough to help others have the acceptance, food, shelter, care and opportunities we all need to live well. A phone call or visit, donation to whatever appeal touches us personally, really does bless the giver as well as those who receive, one person, one kindness at a time.

Whatever we believe, whatever our situation, whatever challenges we face, caring for others is the heart of Christmas. Why our village churches support the Children’s Society (working with UK children at risk) in our Christingle and Carol Services, the local Women’s Refuge in our Gift Services, the Food Bank and charities which change lives for good in this country and the wider world, the new Christmas Lunch in Watton on 28th Dec - showing God’s love in action.

‘My friends, life is short, and we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who make this earthly pilgrimage with us, so be swift to love and make haste to do kindness, and the blessing of God, be upon us and all whom we love and pray, this day and forever more.’ Amen.

May we do all we can to make this a Merry Christmas

Rev Jenny

‘Somehow, not only for Christmas, but all the long year through, the joy that you give to others, is the joy that comes back to you.’