Ithetha Ntoni IKrisimesi Kuwe?
Ubuya kuphendula uthini? IKrisimesi (1) lixesha lokuba kunye nentsapho yakho; (2) lixesha lamatheko; (3) lixesha lonqulo; (4) lixesha eliza noxinezeleko; (5) lixesha lokukhumbula mandulo; (6) lixesha loshishino olukhulu.
NANGONA kusenokubonakala kusothusa, kubantu abangaphezu kwe-1 000 ekuye kwenziwa uhlolisiso kubo eBritani, kuphela sisi-6 ekhulwini esiyigqala iKrisimesi ngokuyintloko njengesihlandlo sonqulo. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, ama-48 ekhulwini ubukhulu becala ayigqala iKrisimesi njengexesha lokuba kunye nentsapho yabo. Eneneni, abaninzi bakholelwa ukuba lixesha elikhethekileyo kubantwana. Ngokomzekelo, enye intombazana eneminyaka eli-11 ubudala, xa yabuzwa ngoko ikuthanda kakhulu ngeKrisimesi, yaphendula: “Imihlali, ukonwaba, [kunye] nokupha izipho.” IThe Making of the Modern Christmas iyavuma ukuba “eyona ndawo igxininisa kakhulu kuyo . . . iKrisimesi ‘engokwesithethe’ ngokungathandabuzekiyo likhaya, intsapho yaye ngokukodwa ebantwaneni.”
Kodwa kukwiNgqobhoko yelasentshona apho ngokukodwa iKrisimesi ingumbandela wentsapho, ixesha lokuba izalamane zihlanganisane ukuze ziphane izipho. Kumazwe iCawa yobuOthodoki yaseMpuma enempembelelo kakhulu kuwo, abantu bagxininisa kakhulu kwi-Ista; sekunjalo, ixesha leKrisimesi ngokuqhelekileyo liba lixesha leholide.
“Inkqubo Yezorhwebo”
IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi iKrisimesi iye “yaguqulelwa ekubeni igxininise kakhulu . . . kwezorhwebo.” Mhlawumbi oko kuyinyaniso kakhulu eJapan.
IDaily Record yaseWashington ithi: “AmaJapan aye akulahla konke ukuhanahanisa konqulo aza aguqulela iKrisimesi ekubeni yinkqubo yezorhwebo ngokupheleleyo.” Yongezelela isithi, eJapan iKrisimesi, “ngumbhiyozo obalaseleyo ogxininisa kakhulu kurhwebo nongagxininisi kangako kwicala lonqulo.”
Kwanakumazwe amaninzi ekuthiwa ngawobuKristu, eli “cala lonqulo” ngokufuthi kunzima ukulibona. Kwiminyaka enokuba ngama-40 eyadlulayo, iphecana elinxamnye neKrisimesi lakhalaza: “IKrisimesi ixhaswa yinkqubo yezorhwebo. Lelona xesha lonyaka lokwenza imali. Oosomashishini abathi bangamaKristu balilindela ngomdla ixesha leKrisimesi, kungengenxa kaKristu, kodwa ngenxa yengeniso.” Hayi indlela achane ngayo loo mazwi namhlanje! Kumazwe amaninzi, asifane sifike kwiinyanga ezintathu zokugqibela enyakeni singakhange sikhunjuzwe ukuba zingaphi na iintsuku eziseleyo zokuthenga izipho zeKrisimesi elandelayo. Amashishini aqhuba kakuhle kakhulu njengoko unyaka uphela, kangangokuba phantse ikota yazo zonke izinto ezithengiswa ziivenkile ngonyaka zithengiswa ngexesha leKrisimesi.
Enoba ithetha ntoni na iKrisimesi kuwe ngoku, usenokuba uyazibuza ukuba yaqala njani. Enyanisweni, ngaba iBhayibhile iyakuxhasa ukupha izipho ngeKrisimesi? Ngaba imibhiyozo yanamhlanje yeKrisimesi ngokwenene yeyobuKristu? Makhe sibone.
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 2]
Cover: Thomas Nast/Dover Publications, Inc., 1978