Does it matter if Jesus was not born on December 25? Kings and Queens have official birthdays to facilitate celebrations – why not the Messiah? OK, we don’t have his birth certificate, pick your date – just celebrate and share. However, never pour cold water on a joyful celebration. We mark our friends’ special days and will even crash a stranger’s party, so only the ungrateful, ungenerous and badminded (or misled) diss Christmas. You need not believe in Jesus to join in the fun as even non-Christian Japan celebrates this love. A friend discovered the date on his birth certificate was not as he was told as a child. He still celebrates the same old date. Does the date really matter? No, Siree!

The most important six words ever are “For God so loves the world!” Awesome! Christmas is a time for giving love. Business leave out the “love”, and that’s OK too. Regardless of faith, these words are magical – the Creator loves his creation! He is not fed up with us. His love is absolute, unconditional, no exclusions, no caveats. Gifts and cards are good tokens, but they are not love, so don’t feel bad if all you give is warm greetings and a helping hand to those in need. Just do it.

I celebrate all events of peace, love and happiness – moreso Christmas. The world is cold, desperate and unfriendly and we should embrace everything which promotes kindness, giving and love. A British parson recently said the hungry should steal food, but only from big supermarkets. He is right to focus on hunger but wrong in the solution. When consumers suffer, producers suffer and a burden shared is a lighter weight for all. Sharing is the key to our survival. The rich are not like us, but in Jesus’ tales there is a rich and a poor man. So let’s love both! We must make the 12 days of Christmas a time of activity, resist excess and lethargy, and give gifts and love to the less fortunate.

Kids are special and we must show them love in action, give gifts and have a treat for some you don’t know. You drive past them every day and they beg. Look outside your own circle, there are kids all around – some battered and broken – not too lovable but love them anyway. They are our work-in-progress, our future. Your time is a good gift, don’t just chuck money at the problem. Think! If you have no money, give your time!

Old folk are also special. Some grandparents suffer with boorish, rude kids at Christmas. At 87 my Mom was a force in her condo association; my neighbour at 70-plus is a “kick-butt” Nintendo whiz, feared and loved by the grandkids and he wants a Wii upgrade as his gift. We stereotype older folk but they too have interests and a life, so forget the socks, slippers and frumpy ties and find a real gift for those you know and some you don’t.

Here are some cheap Christmas gifts. Greet people you normally ignore and give money to some you don’t know. Don’t judge, don’t lecture them on how to use your hard-earned money, just give! Let your kids wrap presents for the kids’ or old people’s homes. Google some carols, print them, go sing and spread the love. However cynical the motives, give and support giving.

Christmas is now too private, controlled and selfish. Yes, circle the family wagons but take the joy outside your gate too. Take your kids to a carol or watchnight service. This is our culture. Control your street corner with love. Walk to the local ghetto or the corner shop, take gifts, balloons and sing carols. I love carols. Have you heard a police recital? Carols by firemen on their engines at the fire stations? Until you hear 90 male prisoners carolling you don’t know the power and beauty of the male voice – and the sing-off among cell blocks is riveting! Why can’t we do these? What about a KSAC chorale? MPs, go sing carols with your voters! Take your family, food, gifts and have a small treat. Friend, start a street-corner sing-off with your kids, neighbours, an iPod and set a style. Be a trendsetter for good. Celebrate peace on earth, goodwill to men. Teach your kids to give and not expect to receive by asking each for one of their gifts to give to poor kids. Become an activist for love this Christmas!

Corporate Christmas is not like ours. The use of shareholder equity to reward self and favourites; the orgy, the bonuses, the gifts to win friends, influence people and scratch backs. Yet, even this spreads resources and goodwill – a little will fall on the poor.

Some people send cards to show off. They forget the maid or nanny, but give gifts to those who don’t need them. This year, buy many small gifts. Give some to your maid as she has friends and family who know she works for a “big man family”. I knew a civil servant who got gifts from contractors. He gave them all to the office party. He paid for his own turkey and liquor – he would not be bought. Sadly, many of the powerful can show no receipts for the tonnes of liquor, ham and turkey on their tables this Christmas.

On the third Sunday in Advent – my birthday – I sang carols and read a lesson on John the Baptist. John “lick out” at those who came for baptism, “You brood of vipers,” he yelled, “being children of Abraham won’t save you! … “Who warned you to flee the wrath?” … “Bear fruit or you will be cut down”. Was Luke facetious when he ends: “He proclaimed the good news to the people”. John was not a people person, he scared the daylights out of them! If that was good news I shudder to think of what would be his bad news! The Epiphany is the season of rejoicing, Christ is born. The Messiah is in the house!

If Christmas day is not special for Christ’s sake, then make it special for your sake. Make it your love day, forgive-and-forget day, nature day – whatever. Give your family a reason to be happy and celebrate. If someone greets you, reply, “Peace and love.” If you meet spoilers who may say, “I don’t celebrate Christmas.” Just slap them! When the spirit of love moves the waters, jump in and be healed, stupid! Merry Christmas!

Dr Franklin Johnston is an international project manager with Teape-Johnston Consultants, currently on assignment in the UK.

franklinjohnston@hotmail.com