Dear Editor,

Apparently, you cannot plan for happiness; it finds you uninvited and leaves you without notice.

Christmas is one of those occasions when many people plan to keep a collective feast of cheerfulness and pleasure. Yet, often, we sometimes destroy the very thing that is in our present by pursuing it. For example, Christmas celebration focuses a great deal on spending and treating yourself well, while, at the same time, it provides an excuse for overindulgence and prodigality.

In other words, along with the buoyancy and festivity of the season, the very poor must carry an additional load of anxiety in order to honour the season. Where, for instance, the regular tin mackerel and chicken back meal are considered normal and acceptable dishes to consume, the upgrade on meals that accompany Christmas Day further exaggerates the embarrassment and stress of the poorest of the poor who are unable to put a joint of beef, oxtail, or ribs on their dinner table.

If people find happiness during the Christmas season, such happiness seems to be prejudiced against the poor while favouring the rich and fortunate. It is ironic, though, that a holiday that uses ‘Christ’ as part of its name is designed to detract from all that he stood for. He, himself, was a minimalist, both in food, clothing, and shelter. He was especially drawn towards the afflicted, burdened, and forsaken, while helping them to see in his sermon on the mount that happiness has nothing to do with external appendages or worldly assets or success, but with the internal haven that results from a spiritual connection with the father.

Events such as the passage of Hurricane Melissa may highlight even more that Christmas is not an antidote for sadness and despondency but may actually increase them by presenting unrealistic expectations.

Homer Sylvester

Florida

h2sylvester@gmail.com