Christmas storytelling.

Since it's Christmas I thought I'd do a little post about the season. Apart from buying lots of presents, visiting friends and trying to fit everything into a tight schedule or budget, each year my family and I go to Christmas mass. This is a special mass where we sing Christmas carols, listen to the preachings about Jesus' coming on earth and the Christmas story.

To be honest, I used to hate going to church ESPECIALLY special celebrations. The masses are twice as long, unbearably hot (it's summer in Australia) and extremely crowded. Not good if you're in any way claustrophobic. But one day I just decided I'd look at mass as this story telling session. I can handle that. If I can handle 5 hour book binge reading then I can handle uncomfortable seating and repetitive scriptures for a little while.

Our nativity set 2013.

With this in mind my church experiences weren't nearly as bad. I think if other people took this approach Christmas carols and other "holy" things would be tolerable even if you aren't Christian and don't believe a word of it or it. The Christmas story can appreciate the Christmas story on a purely narrative level.


It was prophecised that a king would be born into the world to defeat evil once and for all- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S Lewis
His parents were turned away at every door- Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
Even so, he was born marked by love - Harry Potter J.K. Rowling
And because of him -a small, poor, rejected boy- there was hope for us all. There was hope of better things to come - I am the Messenger,  Marcus Zusack

I wish you a very Merry Christmas.