‘Tis the season to be jolly
And in that,
Lies our great folly

Joy and merry-making,
Festivity and celebrating,
Without pausing,
Reflecting,
Thinking

Is a breach
Of what it means
To be a wise and lofty
Human society

But perhaps, we’re too busy,
Uprooting thousands of trees
To drape and wreath
In paper, baubles, tinsel and sweets,

Only to dump them in landfills
With streamers, wrapping and unwanted gifts,
Empty beer cans, crackers,
Leftover turkey and drinks

From October to December,
Christmas is sold to commercial bidders
It’s the brand, by-line or jingle
Of nearly every product, service and TV serial

So much money made,
So many people played!

And as we enjoy
The sentimentalised indulgence,
Alcohol, consumerism and abandon

I wonder…

If Christmas is for the love of Jesus,
Then is not the loss of his principles –
Purity, simplicity and spirituality –
A deep tragedy?

And if Christmas
Has little to do with faith and godliness,
Sacrifice and selflessness,
What is it?

Is it a celebration
Of kinship, family and togetherness?
Then why is it underpinned
By a hedonistic materialism
That invariably sows greed and individualism?

Sadly,

Perhaps Christmas is a reflection
Mirroring our contradictions,
Exposing the deep voids
We try to keep hidden

Fatema Valji | @fatemavaljipoetry
From Who am I? A Collection of Reflective Poems
Published by Sun Behind the Cloud Publications