Holiday Traditions
We watched a wonderful holiday movie on the Lifetime channel, which made us laugh a lot. There were two families, one Christian and one Jewish, whose son and daughter were engaged to be married. The film pointed out the holiday traditions of the two faiths. It also showed how we can get so embedded in our own traditions that we miss out of the value of how other beliefs celebrate their Divinity. The movie is titled “Will You Merry Me?” and is worth the look, to see how it all works out!
While watching, I remembered my early exposure to the holidays at our home. My dad was Catholic and my mom was anti-Catholic. She had a faith of her own, grown out of her German-English Christmas celebrations. I remember loving the romantic story of the Christ child. I loved the magical birth of the one being who was supposed to be Lord of all.
However, I grew up in Hollywood and I got a taste of secular celebration that still stays with me today. The Judy Garland song from the “Meet Me in Saint Louis” movie “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, was my favorite then and remains so to this day. The line in the song “through the years we all will be together if the fates allow” always touched my young heart at a deep level. I think I knew then, that the fates somehow had the upper hand.
In Hollywood, many of my friends were Jewish as well as many Eastern religions. I got a broad perspective on life at a tender age. As I grew older the holidays for me have always been about remembering that there is love in the air and it is ours to grab it, if we choose.
Even today, Lou Ann and I watch all these mostly corny and often tender films. My heart overflows as do my tears when I see people open their hearts to each other. Whatever your faith may be, please find the joy inside all of the activities and remember we are love! From my nostalgic heart to yours, Thomas