Russian Christmas

The Russian Orthodox Church, and to a degree, Russian culture itself, gets it right when it comes to the difference between Christmas and New Year. The New Year holiday comes first with a big party, complete with gifts and jumping in the snow. Christmas comes January 7 and is more solemn, and certainly less commercial, than what we're used to. For them, the holiday is about faith and family and the seriousness of the moment that the holiday represents.

Even when moving away from commercialism, it's easy to get carried away. We are the sort who want to do EVERYTHING at Christmas. We shop for the Sharing Place, where people who are struggling financially can come and 'shop' for presents for their family. We donate special food to a local pantry so people can celebrate with a meal. You can send gifts to military men and women, pack shoeboxes for children around the world, visit nursing homes and hospitals with smiles and songs. There is really no end to the need for love and joy for those who are especially lonely this time of year.

(For more ideas, visit Sojourner's Peace and Justice Christmas at
http://go.sojo.net/campaign/peace_justice_christmas. There is so much more to Christmas than bargains and cookies!)

While I would do everything if I could, I am trying to prioritize wisely because despite my denial, I can't do everything. I'm trying to prioritize what only I can do. While I can (and will) share some gifts and food and Christmas smiles with others this holiday, others can do that as well (and I hope they do!). But I'm the only wife to my husband and the only daughter to my parents, the only aunt Sarah and sister Sarah and daughter-in-law Sarah and granddaughter Sarah, the only one who can continue the relationships I've started at Sovietsk, with Katya, Sergey, Galina, and the rest.

I am going to continue to do as much as I can, but I've learned to start with what only I can do first.

We encourage you to use the whole time up to Orthodox Christmas (January 7th) to focus on sharing love and light, peace and justice with the world around you--in the spirit of the baby we celebrate. And we encourage you to do what only you can do--enjoy and invest in the relationships you have been given. And please remember to let that special child know you are STILL thinking of him, or start that letter just from you especially to her.

(photo credit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7174794.stm)