I recently read the true story of six-year-old Nicholas. It was an exciting time for him because for weeks he'd been memorising all the songs for his school's Winter Festival (not Christmas!). So, with great expectation, mum filed in ten minutes early to get a good vantage point to see her son’s first major stage performance. Then the children were led into the room, each class accompanied by their teacher, and sat cross-legged on the floor. One by one, each group rose to perform their special song. The presentation wasn’t billed as a ‘Christmas’ event so apart from the songs about reindeer and Santa Claus there were plenty of references to winter and snowflakes, presents and good food – and the hope that a good time would be had by all. So it was a bit of a surprise to find that Nicholas’ song was called ‘Christmas Love’ – but then of course it doesn’t quite sound right to sing about Winter Love.

Nicholas was brilliant, as were all of his classmates, dressed in bright coloured mittens (cue for a song?), red sweaters, and bright bobble caps. Those in the front row/centre stage held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class sang ‘C is for Christmas’ a child would hold up the letter C. Then, ‘H is for Happy’ and on and on, until each child holding up a letter had presented the complete message: Christmas Love.

The performance was going smoothly, until it came the turn of the small, quiet girl in the front row - holding the letter ‘M’ upside down, totally unaware her letter ‘M’ appeared as a ‘W’. The rest of the school children knew at once that this was a mistake and a there were a few sniggers and some not so subtle whispered comments. But the young lass was completely unaware and she stood tall, proudly holding her ‘W’. And then the last letter was raised. In that moment the reason for the season became clear. Inadvertently the message and meaning of the presentation had been transformed:

‘CHRISTWAS LOVE’

However much some people might try, you can’t take Christ out of Christmas. The carol says ‘Love came down at Christmas’. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah had written centuries before the birth of Jesus that a child would be born who would be called Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’. God incarnate, God expressing His love and solidarity with the human race by joining with it. This is what the writer meant by love coming down. This is a reason for everyone to celebrate. Although I’m still not completely sure where the mermaid fits in?

Every blessing                        Graham Robinson