I’ll Have a Zoom Christmas, Without You
The 2020 Christmas Letter
Have yourself a merry Covid Christmas
May your masks be bright…
From now on your smiles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry Covid Christmas
Begin the Yuletide fray
Because now on your family will be miles away
Just last year in our olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who were dear to us
Gather near to us no more
Come next year we all will be together
If the States allow
Hang my Christmas card it’s all I’ve got for now
So have yourself a merry Covid Christmas
How?
How?
You may be asking yourself that same question.
I actually considered skipping this letter again this year.
I had already written so much about this year in the life of my family I thought how much more sad news can you folks take?
How do you be “merry” in 2020?
I tried some of the usual things to generate “merry.”
I went out and bought a new Christmas tree.
“And don’t be cheap” was my only instruction.
So I got one with lights already on it and a remote control!
And though it wasn’t cheap, I did get a discount because it was the floor model.
Then I got a “smart plug” and now all I need to do to turn the Christmas tree lights on is say,
“Alexa…turn on the Christmas Tree.”
But none of that seemed to do it.
So then I thought I would go back and read the last fifteen years’ worth of Christmas letters including the 2018 non letter year blog post, hoping to find some inspiration and “merry” in those. But I came away from that even more depressed and convinced that every year was a struggle with the hope that the New Year would bring something different, only to repeat the cycle the next year.
Then I listened a second time to an online Sermon from the first Sunday in Advent and that was a little more promising so I decided to “Google” Advent to learn more and I found this from a Western Kentucky University website:
While it is difficult to keep in mind in the midst of holiday celebrations, shopping, lights and decorations, and joyful carols, Advent is intended to be a season of fasting, much like Lent, and there are a variety of ways that this time of mourning works itself out in the season. Reflection on the violence and evil in the world causes us to cry out to God to make things right—to put death’s dark shadows to flight. Our exile in the present makes us look forward to our future Exodus. And our own sinfulness and need for grace lead us to pray for the Holy Spirit to renew his work in conforming us into the image of Christ.
Hmmm, I thought…
“Violence and evil?”
“Death’s dark shadow?”
“Our exile in the present?”
That was just what I didn’t need to be reminded of and certainly didn’t evoke any “merry.”
So I thought about music. Music always makes me feel better. So I put on my Lowen and Navarro Christmas CD. That was good. But then I found my favorite Christmas album of all time, That Christmas Feeling by Glen Campbell released in 1968. My dad had this album when I was a kid.
Now I was getting warm.
Even though the Supreme Court ruled against prayer in public schools in 1962, when I was in “grammar school” growing up in New Jersey we were still allowed to perform a Christmas pageant each year acting out the story from the Bible of the birth of Jesus. The pageant was narrated by two readers, typically a boy and girl.
In 1969 when I was in the eighth grade I stepped out of my comfort zone and volunteered to be one of the narrators. To my disappointment however another guy had already asked to be the narrator.
My “shop” teacher was one of the teachers in charge of the pageant and he was my favorite teacher. After some consideration it was decided that the contrast in our voices (mine was much lower) would work and so I was able to be one of the narrators and read the story of the birth of Jesus. The story from Luke Chapter 2:
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.”
And, in true “Life in the Wobbly Cart” fashion, I caught a bad cold that week and so the narration included me coughing and sniffing into the microphone as I read my part. It wasn’t pretty.
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
And even now as sit on my couch writing, I look out my window to see my second Christmas tree, the one I set up outside on my deck in another attempt to find “merry,” bent and broken, the star hanging limply upside down, most of the lights not working but there is one random bulb flickering incessantly; damaged from being blown over by the wind. Another reminder of just how “normal” my life still is.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
But then it occurred to me.
In this year of everyone’s world being turned upside down due to a virus; a year that started off with the loss of our pastor, Steve; a year that I lost my old friend Frank to the virus; a year when my brother Carl lost his battle with cancer and we lost Kim’s dad; heck we even lost our cat… I was still looking for “merry.”
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
When all along, maybe I should have been looking for “Mary.”
“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.”
And…Jesus.
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
And in recognizing a brighter meaning of Advent, one of expectation and what was and is to come, maybe I had found my “merry.”
I hope you do too.
Kim and I hope you and your families have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Kim and Curt
Postscript:
Our prayers go out to all those who continue to struggle in health or well-being due to Covid 19, as well as those battling other conditions; and also to those of you, who like us, lost family members and friends.
Kim and I would like to thank everyone for all the thoughts and prayers, and cards, and the general thoughtfulness provided to us and both our families this year.
Finally, from that Lowen and Navarro CD and the Meaning of Christmas:
So open your heart and let us give cheer, and try to remember the meaning of Christmas each day of the year.
PPS:
On December 9 after finishing and publishing this year’s letter I learned of the loss of another old friend, Joe Centanni, resulting from complications of the virus. I have many happy memories of good times with a guy who, like my brother, would have given you the proverbial shirt. Our prayers go out to Linda and the kids and the rest of the family.