[Hpdovoxm]

The following news item from an RSS feed might be of interest to Monachos readers:

With two days to go, Christmas themes fill Saturday's newspapers.
This news item is from the BBC UK News service.

Click here for fuller text...

[bUqLfXRI]

The following news item from an RSS feed might be of interest to Monachos readers:

With two days to go, Christmas themes fill Saturday's newspapers.
This news item is from the BBC UK News service.

Click here for fuller text...

And by the day after Christmas these themes completely disappear.

Ever notice how the world has little concept of a post-feast?

Although perhaps the 3am Boxing Day shopping stampede could be considered the equivalent of the martyrdom of the Innocents.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Stengapsept]

And by the day after Christmas these themes completely disappear.

Ever notice how the world has little concept of a post-feast?

Although perhaps the 3am Boxing Day shopping stampede could be considered the equivalent of the martyrdom of the Innocents.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

Dear Fr. Raphael,

Indeed - although I am unsure whether those shoppers are 'Innocents'! But perhaps at this season, one might deem them so.

May your Christmas be a holy day,

In Christ,


John

[bUqLfXRI]

Dear Fr. Raphael,

Indeed - although I am unsure whether those shoppers are 'Innocents'! But perhaps at this season, one might deem them so.

May your Christmas be a holy day,

In Christ,


John

By the time they finish with the purifying fire of the Boxing Day experience they probably will be

May you & all here also have a blessed Christmas.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Seiblybiozy]

For those on this side of the ocean, What is Boxing Day? Is that like Black Friday in USA where the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the year?

[bUqLfXRI]

For those on this side of the ocean, What is Boxing Day? Is that like Black Friday in USA where the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the year?

From the wiki site:
Boxing Day is a public holiday observed in many Commonwealth countries on 26 December. Reasons for this day being called Boxing Day are (again from wiki)
There are disparate theories as to the origins of the term. The more common stories include:

* In feudal times, Christmas was a reason for a gathering of extended families. All the serfs would gather their families in the manor of their lord, which made it easier for the lord of the estate to hand out annual stipends to the serfs. After all the Christmas parties on December 26th, the lord of the estate would give practical goods such as cloth, grains, and tools to the serfs who lived on his land. Each family would get a box full of such goods the day after Christmas. Under this explanation, there was nothing voluntary about this transaction; the lord of the manor was obliged to supply these goods. Because of the boxes being given out, the day was called Boxing Day.

* In Britain many years ago, it was common practice for the servants to carry boxes to their employers when they arrived for their day's work on the day after Christmas. Their employers would then put coins in the boxes as special end-of-year gifts. This can be compared with the modern day concept of Christmas bonuses. The servants carried boxes for the coins, hence the name Boxing Day.

* In churches, it was traditional to open the church's donation box on Christmas Day, and the money in the donation box was to be distributed to the poorer or lower class citizens on the next day. In this case, the "box" in "Boxing Day" comes from that one gigantic lockbox in which the donations were left.

* Boxing Day was the day when the wren, the king of birds[citation needed], was captured and put in a box and introduced to each household in the village when he would be asked for a successful year and a good harvest. See Frazer's Golden Bough.
o Evidence can also be found in Wassail songs such as:

Where are you going ? said Milder to Malder,
Oh where are you going ? said Fessel to Foe,
I'm going to hunt the cutty wren said Milder to Malder,
I'm going to hunt the cutty wren said John the Rednose.
And what will you do wi' it ? said Milder to Malder,
And what will you do wi' it ? said Fessel to Foe,
I'll put it in a box said Milder to Malder,
I'll put it in a box said John the Rednose.
etc.

* Because the staff had to work on such an important day as Christmas Day by serving the master of the house and their family, they were given the following day off. Since being kept away from their own families to work on a traditional religious holiday and not being able to celebrate Christmas Dinner, the customary benefit was to 'box' up the left over food from Christmas Day and send it away with the servants and their families. Hence the 'boxing' of food became 'boxing day'.
But as children we were quite confident that the reason this was called Boxing Day was something to do with boxing matches on this day.

For more info on the traditions of this day including an explanation of obscure Canadian customs on this day Boxing Day

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Seiblybiozy]

Thank you Father Raphael:
History aside, I see it as more of your last note. A boxing day between the kids as to who will take which gift away from the other sibling.

Not to put a damper of nativity, but I have so come to hate Christmas. What has become of it? We used to have great family gatherings and traditions with the kids. Now, it is a drudge to fight the crowds to get that special little something no one really wanted in the first place, just to go see the family or as much of it as is able to gather since everyone is on the other side of the continent or with their inlaws.

I find myself wanting only to go to church and not wanting to wait for the nativity services to begin. But then, I neglect my responsibility to my own family or parts thereof. Guilt sets in as it is now Sat 23 and I have not been shopping even for a tree. We have put off seeing family until the next weekend blaming it on other family responsibilities when there are none. We/I have just been too lazy/ depressed to fight the crowds.

I suppose many people other than myself get depressed during the holidays. Why am I not with my family right now instead of typing here? Because I really don't want to be around them? Because I am not in a festive mood I would have to force myself to be in? What's the point?

I am sorry to each of you for sounding so depressing. God help me.

[Ambrakam]

Statistically speaking, this time of year has the most depression relapses and suicides than any time of the year. The commercialism and secular influences on this very holy day no doubt contribute to this extremely sad reality.

Lord have mercy on us sinners.

[bUqLfXRI]

I strongly suspect that in time and probably already we are beginning to develop our own traditions about how to deal suitably with the Christmas season.

For different reasons I am able to keep fairly much out of public during the Christmas season and at home things are remarkably peaceful. ( It certainly helps though that home is attached to the back of the church- I enter the side of the altar through a door in my apartment hallway).

Perhaps if during these days of the Feast we concentrate as much as possible only on family & church. After all in the 'good old days' that's basically what Christmas was- shopping for gifts was an activity but fairly restricted by today's standards. So maybe we could back to this way of living with Christmas.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[chuviskkk]

I hope everyone doesn't mind that I share this muse which I posted on my blog. Paul's post #7 could have been written by yours truly. I completely understand how he feels. However, God's grace is sufficient and by it we are saved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas Eve service at Calvary Baptist (my husband's church) was Lessons in Carols. This is always a nice tradition. One is blessed to receive the Word of God as it is read and then sung in carols.

This season has been challenging for me, as it is for so many. People struggle with depression, loneliness, and anxiety; often for very justifiable reasons. They may not have any money with which to pay their bills let alone purchase a gift for their child. A special someone may have passed away and this is the first holiday without their beloved presence. Or perhaps a person struggles with depression, just because. I’ve gritted my teeth to get through each day since Thanksgiving, just one day at a time. There are many of us.

Tonight, while sitting in the pew, surrounded by so many other worshippers, with my own family next to me, I found myself praying and looking around at all the people. Across the aisle were a Grandmom and Grandpop holding their sweet five month old great-granddaughter. She was absolutely beautiful and so pleasant. She smiled and cooed at her Grandpop while he bounced her on his knee.

In front of me a Dad put his arm around his wife and reached to squeeze his daughter’s arm. The young man to her right was stone-faced, as was she. I wondered the story behind the father’s touch.

To my left were four young men, all dressed in Christmas finery; ties, suit jackets, neatly trimmed beards and side-burns. One was just staring at nothing in particular; a very solemn look on his face. What was going through his mind?

I noticed a banner hanging on the wall; bright blue with gold lettering that said “Joy to the World” under which was a manger with the Christ Child wrapped in swaddling clothes. Joy. Joy…to the World? Joy. What is joy? So what? I’ve sung that carol for all my life. Big deal! Then it hit me. The joy is Christ! God gave Christ (JOY) to the world! How have I missed that message for so long?!??!?!?!

The pastor stood to read the Gospel of St. John 1:1-14; a particularly wonderful scripture passage. St. John wrote in verse: 5 “The Light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it.” And still doesn’t understand the Light. The Light is offensive to the darkness.

And in verse10 “…though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.” (Emphasis mine.) That which He created did not recognize its Creator! The world itself did not recognize Christ, the spoken Word of God! How could that be? How?

It struck quite a blow as I came to understand how many people do not understand or recognize the JOY that God gave to the world in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ. They miss the true meaning of Christmas. Lord have mercy! Even more so, I almost missed it! Nothing but the grace of God through His JOY opened my eyes to see the Light that shines, our Creator and Savior who is Christ the Lord.

In this, I was truly blessed. And so it is my prayer for all – that the JOY to the World, the Light which Shines, the Word spoke at Creation – is revealed to the world on this Blessed Festal Day! That those who have eyes – SEE! That those who have ears – HEAR!

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

[Seiblybiozy]

Hi Trudy and others that empathise.

The brain is a truly terrible to dwell.

I had a wonderful time at Church. All 5 hours of it. whew. I love the services and the music changes for this season. My wife arrived at the end for the first time in 18 months minus some at Pascha. She is not well (prayer request) and it meant alot to me for her to come.

She and I slept in late today and have spent the day talking and cleaning house and eating MEAT. Yes, I am a carnivore at heart.

I have MANY things to give thanks to God for. My wife is one, my health is another. I should remember when I feel down, to give thanks to God for allowing me to feel what others not so fortunate live every day. ie, the thread on christians in the middle east newscast.

God is good. He gives what we need, not want we want. its cool though when the two align themselves.

I have not opened a single gift this year. But I do have priceless gifts...

A loving wonderful wife
friends that are there if I need them that truly care for me
neighbors that bring food from their own table just because
family that puts up with my idiocincricies (sp)
A God who always receives this prodigal!

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Paul

[JessiPollo]

Reasons for this day being called Boxing Day are (again from wiki)

[...]
For more info on the traditions of this day including an explanation of obscure Canadian customs on this day Boxing Day

Being here in the USA over the New Year's and Christmas holidays, I was quite surprised to turn on American Public Broadcast television (PBS) on 26th December, to see a banner on the screen reading 'Happy Boxing Day' -- and in fact to have a 'Happy Boxing Day' message appear between programmes throughout the day.

I'd never heard of this being known in the USA!

INXC, Matthew

[Stengapsept]

Being here in the USA over the New Year's and Christmas holidays, I was quite surprised to turn on American Public Broadcast television (PBS) on 26th December, to see a banner on the screen reading 'Happy Boxing Day' -- and in fact to have a 'Happy Boxing Day' message appear between programmes throughout the day.

I'd never heard of this being known in the USA!

INXC, Matthew

Dear Matthew,

Perhaps a rare example of cultural influence the other way? Or maybe PBS now does so much BBC stuff it hardly notices the difference? It is only when they start celebrating the feast of the nativity on 7 January that we will know that Orthodoxy is really permeating the culture of the west - and that will play havoc with Fr. Raphael's canny Christmas shopping tips.


Hope you're having a well-earned rest,

In Christ,

John

[bUqLfXRI]

Being here in the USA over the New Year's and Christmas holidays, I was quite surprised to turn on American Public Broadcast television (PBS) on 26th December, to see a banner on the screen reading 'Happy Boxing Day' -- and in fact to have a 'Happy Boxing Day' message appear between programmes throughout the day.

I'd never heard of this being known in the USA!

INXC, Matthew

I noticed the same thing while watching Turner Classic Movies on our Boxing Day. That evening the theme was Boxing Day & appropriately enough all the movies were on the theme of boxing.

Of course while watching Rocky the different patristic and monastic themes became clear: the ascetic struggle & endurance were the virtues which most obviously stood out.

Also, keeping in mind the other thread on American Orthodoxy, we can see how Rocky symbolizes a local type of spirituality; courageous but not pretentious, genuine yet not oversensitive, austere but open-handed.

In Christ- Fr Raphael
PS: Did my effort to keep this post strictly on track with the new guidelines work?

[JessiPollo]

IPS: Did my effort to keep this post strictly on track with the new guidelines work?

Leave it to a Canadian priest to draw the patristic connections between Orthodoxy and Rocky Balboa...

INXC, Matthew

[bUqLfXRI]

Dear Matthew,

Perhaps a rare example of cultural influence the other way? Or maybe PBS now does so much BBC stuff it hardly notices the difference? It is only when they start celebrating the feast of the nativity on 7 January that we will know that Orthodoxy is really permeating the culture of the west - and that will play havoc with Fr. Raphael's canny Christmas shopping tips.


Hope you're having a well-earned rest,

In Christ,

John

As far as I'm concerned it's nothing except unmitigated pseudocanuckophilia.

In Christ- Fr Raphael