Though not commonly known, we Christians currently are in the liturgical season of Advent, not Christmas. Christmas always starts on December 25th and lasts…for 12 days.
Even less well known is that Advent, historically, is a season of repentance! In fact, it’s been referred to as a “mini-Lent,” a time for self-reflection and introspection, the purpose of which is to PREPARE ourselves for the arrival of the Christ child.
But the 3rd of the 4 Sundays in Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. Its theme is joy. It’s supposed to be a break from our preparations so that we might consider why we’re preparing in the first place. And that is the joy of Christmas morn.
In this spirit, I thought I’d take a break from my usual topics to offer a bit of joy, if not downright silliness.
This morning in church the pastor chided the congregation about the way many of us write Christmas newsletters. We detail the successes of all our family members (including our pets) over the past year. Each child, he said, is a Harvard graduate who’s now setting Wall St. on fire.
It struck a chord. Years ago my father, who had a marvelous wit, decided to join the ranks of those who write such literary masterpieces, only with a twist.
Below is his Christmas letter, “Leinbach Lines,” from Advent 1987, when he was 74. It’s one of my favorites. It’s all camp, and a worthy parody of all the bragging to which the pastor alluded this morning. Enjoy the irony:
Talk about a year of excitement!
Mull this, just one outstanding day in a year-ful of them.
6:25 A.M. Radio comes on. Mary grumbles, “Why do we have to set it so early?”
7:10 A.M. John gets up, soon followed by Mary.
7:45 A.M. Breakfast. Sliced bananas and pills.
8:05 A.M. Commence reading. Three newspapers.
8:37 A.M. John: “What’s on for today?” Mary: “Nothing.”
8:38 A.M. Continue reading newspapers.
10:03 A.M. John puts drops in eyes.
10:52 A.M. Off to the bank; then to the supermarket, for more bananas. And chicken.
11:40 A.M. The pause before lunch.
12:08 P.M. Chicken sandwich, apple, and – for John – a beer.
12:22 P.M. More eyedrops.
1:15 P.M. Mail arrives. Open bills. Leaf through catalogues.
1:47 P.M. Pay bills.
2:25 P.M. Mary reads book. John works at word processor.
4:00 P.M. More eyedrops.
4:15 P.M. The telephone hour, a Mary exclusive.
5:23 P.M. Dinner. Chicken. Again? Just eat it.
5:30 P.M. Turn on TV for news. Several fine murders.
6:05 P.M. More eyedrops.
7:00 P.M. Mary’s shows start. Jeopardy. Wheel of Fortune.
8:15 P.M. Mary dozes off in her chair.
10:00 P.M. John goes to bed.
Can you tie that?
But hey, didn’t anything else happen all year? Yep. A grandson arrived. Our first grandson! Courtesy of Chris and Glo Leinbach (more her courtesy than his). The name will go on! People will still mispronounce it, but the name will go on!
Otherwise, just the usual: golf, church, bananas, board meetings, tennis, chicken, college consulting, flu shots, bananas, Meals-on-Wheels, eyedrops, choir, chicken, etc. etc.
But wait till next year!
You will wait, won’t you? Please do. It starts soon after Christmas.
I hope you have, or had, a joyous, perhaps even silly, Gaudete Sunday.