A Christmas Touch

Jake awoke to a feeling of despair. His efforts to capture the heart of Sara Jensen were proving challenging. In two months of pursuit, she had remained friendly but aloof. He had not yet successfully held her hand.

As he stood before the mirror, straightening his tie, another thought gave hime new energy. Having convinced the mayor and editor of this small city to offer prizes for the best-decorated home this holiday season, he would go all out to decorate his house and yard, maybe even winning first prize.

His face smiled back at him as he imagined the cars driving slowly in admiration of his yard. She had agreed to meet for coffee after her class today. He could hardly wait to tell her about the city-wide Christmas contest he initiated.

“So, what do you think?” He held his coffee cup between his hands and looked directly into those intriguing, brown eyes.

“You’re a mover, Jake.” She took a sip of coffee. “You have convinced the right people in the town to get behind your idea. The theme for the contest—Making Christmas Bright Again, what’s your thought behind that?”

“I thought it was great and so did the mayor. We want to get people into the spirit of Christmas: brighten up their homes, decorate their yards, and give the holiday and dark nights some cheer.

Sara remained quiet as they drove to her home.

“Can I drop by this evening?” Jake asked.

“No, not night. I’ll be studying for my final first-term exam, but you can give me a call.”

Well, that’s a step forward, Jake thought. He tossed a wave from the street as Sara opened her front door.

Sara appreciated Jake’s enthusiasm and drive, admiral qualities she admitted, but she felt something was missing. He seemed to be into himself, and his crusade of super-decorated Christmas yards sent her questioning. That afternoon, rather than preparing for exams, she drafted a letter to the local newspaper editor proposing an alternate theme for the Christmas home decorating contest. “Let’s Make Christmas Right Again.” Her letter encouraged residents to decorate their front yard with nativity scenes. Let’s have variety and creativity, but the scene should present a story of that first Christmas.

“I like your idea,” the mayor responded after Sara spoke to him. “But I’d like to suggest we make the contest collaborative rather than competitive.” It could be a great mix, one supporting the other.”

“Sara,” Jake’s voice carried an edge of irritation. Sara held the phone away from her ear. “Your proposal – if anyone buys into it – contradicts my idea of a home after home, yard after yard ablaze with lights, yards filled with snowmen, Santas, reindeer, elves. I thought you were behind me on this?”

“It’s just an idea, Jake. Perhaps variety could be a good thing.” However, the more Sara thought about her idea, the more she wanted it to succeed. So, she presented her idea at the college chapel that week, and then her pastor suggested she pitch her idea to their congregation that Sunday.

“Jake, would you come to church with me this Sunday?” His response at the other end of the line was silence.

Jake had only been to church once, for his grandmother's funeral. Finally, breaking the silence, “Yes, if you and I can go for lunch afterwards. Let’s make it a date.”

Sara smiled, recognizing his ploy. “Let’s see how things go, Jake. After our church service, you may have second thoughts about a date.

Sara’s five-minute talk told how, during the dark period of the winter solstice, one Roman celebration known as Saturnalia was an ancient madcap festival that lasted seven to fourteen days. The festival included feasting, homes decorated with boughs of laurel and evergreen trees, and gifts exchanged, much like our Christmas festivities. It was an attempt to bring good cheer in the season of long dark nights. 

She looked out over the congregation, all eyes seemed focused on her. She forged ahead. “To celebrate the solstice season, in 274 C.E., the Romans introduced a celebration on December 25th to honour their sun god, Sol Invictus.” Sara smiled, “for those of us who did not study Latin, means Unconquered Sun.

“When Christianity became the Roman Empire's official religion in 380 C.E., suddenly thousands of people in the Empire needed to be instructed in the Christian faith and stories. So, Pope Julius I officially established December 25th as Jesus’ birthday, hitchhiking on these pagan festivals.

“Today,” Sara continued, “commercial merchandising and secular music have hitchhiked on Christmas.” She noticed some raised eyebrows on the front pews and heads turning to whisper to one another throughout the congregation.

Jake’s face looked perplexed.

She hurried on, “Lights, gifts, Santa, songs and sharing food are an essential part of our celebrations, but the theme, Let’s Make Christmas Right Again, encourages us to remember how Christmas began.

Sara held up a small model of a nativity scene. “St. Francis of Assisi is attributed to creating the first nativity scene to tell the citizens in the small Italian village of Greccio about the birth of Jesus.

We are in danger of losing Christmas to the commercial buzz. Yes, lights have a message. Jesus was born into a dark world, just as our world seems so dark today. But Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world,’ so when we light up our homes in these dark days of December, it reflects our desire to brighten our world with the story of God’s love and forgiveness.”

Sara paused and scanned the congregation and held up the nativity scene a little higher. “I’m asking you to promote the original event of Christmas, like St. Francis, with a nativity scene in your front yard.”

It was Jake who remained quiet as he and Sara walked to his car. He had not considered the quiet, possibly timid Sara to be so eloquent, captivating, and into church. She's special and maybe beyond my reach.

“Well,” Sara broke the silence when they were both in the car. “Is lunch still on, or do you have second thoughts?

The competition grew as one home after another added to their display. Lights circled the outline of homes; lights painting the walls red, green, and blue; Lights circled the trunks of trees and lit up the branches. Blow-up snowmen, Santas, and reindeer filled yards. Entire miniature villages containing shops of all kinds and churches. Then Jake visited Sara’s home. Their yard remained empty, a cavity between two decorated homes.

Sara opened the door, to Jake’s rap. She wore a bathrobe, her face pallid, and dark shadows

under her eyes. “What’s up? You have nothing in your front yard! I thought you were promoting an alternative contest.”

“Hello to you too, Jake. I’ve been sick. Another version of Covid. Haven’t been able to do much. Father is working on some pieces in the garage. He’s there now. Go take a look. I don’t want you to catch this.

Jake’s entrance into the garage was greeted by Mr. Jansen’s, “Hello, Jake. Sara just gave me a text to say you might be coming. I’d shake your hand, but with Sara sick… You arrived just at the right time. I could use help to get this barn to the front yard.”

So, a wooden shelter representing the barn took center stage. Jake carried some straw to fill the manger.

“We’ll have to build the scene gradually,” Sara encouraged her father. “Sorry, I couldn’t be more help. This will make it like a drama. Let the scene build to a climax the week before Christmas.”

A few days later, cutouts of two sheep and a donkey occupied the barn. Shepherds and more sheep appeared off to the far-right stage two days later. Spotlights focused on the players. Mary, riding on the back of a donkey with Joseph in the lead, appeared after another two days on left stage.

Then came Jake’s second visit. Mr. Jansen opened the door and stepped outside. “Sara's, still not well, Jake.

Jake surveyed the front yard. “Is your scene complete? Things still look a little sparse. Tell

Sara nativity scenes are popping up all over the city.”

“Isn’t that great, Jake! The nativity scenes are punctuation marks, embracing your decorated houses and giving them meaning.” Jake shrugged his shoulders, giving a weak smile.

Nativity scenes had developed around the city, all creatively different. On another visit Jake was again asked to help Mr. Jansen complete their nativity scene. An electric star was hung from an upper branch of the oak tree. Mary and Joseph kept inching closer to the stable. Three camels carrying Magi were ready to be brought out of the shop much closer to Christmas. A mounting enthusiasm could be felt as nativity scene builders and yard decorators continued preparing for the competition final to be announced December 23. Jake was struggling to find time between work to finish his yard.

Sara called Jake from her door as she watched him move Mary and Joseph a little closer to the stable. “Aren’t you cooperating with the opposition?”

“No, just collaborating. Maybe I’m getting a touch of your Christmas spirit.”

One week before Christmas, Mary and Joseph had reached the stable. Three angels hung from the branches of trees, shepherds and sheep huddled beneath. The wise men approached in the distance. There was no baby in the manager.

Sara had arranged with her church to have carolers present each night that week. One night a brass ensemble played carols. Cars crept by taking in the beauty of the homes and yards. If they paused at Sara’s place to listen to the music, they were handed cups of hot chocolate.

On December 23 a baby lay in the manager. Shepherds stood close by. Behind the display soft lights outlined the roof and walls of her house, a backdrop to the scene in front. Jake stood on the sidewalk observing. “What’s the story here, Sara?

“There is a great story behind all this. We Christians believe God came to earth in this baby

Jesus. This God held out open arms to the poor and discredited like the shepherds, and the wise and powerful like the three Magi. And God chose a young woman with no credentials or status, who faced public scorn and threat to birth this child. You see, Jake, the Romans worshiped the sun god; we worship the Son of God, who came as a baby at Christmas.

Jake turned to face Sara, “My house and yard won second prize.”

Sara read the disappointment on Jake’s face. “Jake, your yard was attractive, well-designed,

classy. Congratulations. The city really took hold of your idea. But, can I make a suggestion for next year? With your ability and ‘know-how,’ I suggest you project a picture of a nativity scene on the front wall. Just an added touch.”

“The city liked your idea too, Sara.” Turning back to study her yard, Jake said, “There’s quite

the story here, isn’t there?

“That there is,”

“But may I suggest, Sara, for another year, you place a box for charity donations near the

manager. I’ll design a QR code to put on it. I see the story here in the nativity scene is a story of giving.”

“That’s such a great idea, Jake and with all your time helping Daddy, you’re really getting into my idea of making Christmas right again. She reached to touch Jake’s hand. “Will you join my family for Christmas dinner?”