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Opinion
The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
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In Our View: May the spirit of Christmas last all year long

The Columbian
Published: December 25, 2024, 6:03am

Regardless of one’s personal beliefs, today’s celebration can offer an uplifting message of hope and peace. Christmas is a time for reflection that is enriched by the bonds of family, charity and shared humanity.

For many Americans and for many people throughout the world, the holiday celebrates the birth of Christ and the promise of eternal life. As Jesus said, according to John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

At a time of enmity and discord throughout the world and throughout our nation, the hope is that the message rings clear for all people — whether they seek to be disciples or simply the best possible versions of themselves.

It is when love and understanding and compassion become preeminent that the true miracle of the Christmas season occurs. Those traits are highlighted at this time of year, a period in which “Peace on Earth” becomes a mantra for both the religious and the secular, with constant exhortations appearing in the songs of the season or on greeting cards or in personal salutations.

And yet, we are left to ponder why that message is confined to a singular season. It was in the fall of 1897, after all, that editorial writer Francis Pharcellus Church of The New York Sun famously wrote: “The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are seen and unseeable in the world.”

Church was responding to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon asking whether there is a Santa Claus — a fairly narrow question. Yet the wonderment expressed in his answer should linger and sustain us throughout the year instead of being restricted to the days around Christmas. Perhaps by embracing the joy and the meaning of the season, we all can help change the world for the better.

Indeed, that can be difficult.

We live in an age in which examples of inhumanity and reminders of our differences can be rampant, when our human ability to acknowledge love, share generosity and demonstrate devotion is overwhelmed by our disagreements. Political and social rhetoric about immigration and race and sexual preference and gender identity often divide us at the expense of our commonalities.

And yet, there is hope that the message of Christmas and a desire for peace and love can prevail, not only today but to sustain us throughout the year. By retaining faith in our fellow humans and a belief in each other’s basic decency, we can, indeed, learn to love one another.

As comedian Bob Hope is quoted as saying: “My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”

Or, as President Calvin Coolidge reputedly said: “Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.”

That is the hope as we celebrate the holiday — that long after we open the presents and share a feast and make memories with family and friends, we can remember the guidance that was provided long ago and yet remains relevant today.

Merry Christmas to all.

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