Now many of us like a cheesy Christmas movie or six at this time of year. But what is it about them that we actually like? Why do they make us feel warm and fuzzy? And what is their universality in nature that they appeal to so many of us?
It’s probably fair to say that most of the people celebrating Christmas this year, Christian or otherwise, won’t be thinking too much about the underlying meaning of it. There will be focus on nice things such as getting together with friends and family and perhaps the sharing gifts, but what have we lost in respect of the underlying symbolic significance of the festival and how might we be able to make interesting changes in our lives by taking the deeper message with more seriousness?
This mid winter festival has been celebrated in one form or another for as long as records exist, across wide ranging geographical cultures as a symbol of rebirth. The closing of the old year, as it dies into winter and the rebirth of the New Year with all its potential and the return of the light. And nothing symbolises potential more than a new-born child, representing hope and the opportunity to do better than the past. Also, the giving of the gift, perhaps represented by the child itself or the gift giving associated with the birth, is a sacrifice of the present to the future in the hope it will be better.
So, back to almost every Christmas movie ever. Now invariably the vast majority have been dressed as romantic comedies but regardless of the wrapper, the message is this; letting an old part of you that is not helping any longer die and daring to begin again stepping forward into the potential for hope and joy. In the romantic comedy you see the symbolic death of the old part as either removal of an unhealthy personal relationship or more commonly the letting go of a behavioural obsession that is isolating you from love, which is typically work obsession but sometimes the pain of past tragedy. This is often a redemptive arc, such as in Charles Dickens’, “A Christmas Carol”, and leads our would-be hero on a journey through which they wrestle themselves from their past behaviours and embrace the opportunity of a new life.
The heroes in our movies embrace the challenge and let go of the old and embark on the new and as a result invariably they get their happy ending.
So, keep enjoying these movies but perhaps take some time to reflect on the symbolic significance and see if you can bring it to bear in your life. See if you can let go of some of the behaviours which aren’t serving you so well and take a leap into the potential of the future you that you might be.
Please, correct: "... won't be thinking TOO much about the underlying meaning of it."