My Mother's Christmas Program

I found this in an old box of my Mother's mementos in the fall of 2022. I wanted to share it with all of you- I never knew my Mom was so creative or so devout. It really surprised me I guess you never figure your own Mom has original thoughts. We tend to just take our parents for granted. I'm so honored and proud of her. She was a good writer! It's my Christmas gift to each of you. Hope you enjoy. She must have written this for some kind of program, but there's no mention of it. The original is hand written on notebook paper. I took the liberty to title it. The original does not have a title. --Carolyn Breck

By Helen Radcliffe

I would like to chat with you about the most wonderful time of year-the Christmas season. Come join me - I'm doing a little day dreaming - It's a new approach to an old old story.

I would like to invite you to go back with me down thru the ages one thousand, nine hundred and sixty-three years to that nite long ago when a tired couple named Joseph and Mary finally found haven in a stable. Let's pretend you and I are employed on the Bethlehem Weekly News - you, let's say are the reporter- and 1-because I thought up this excursion into the past, get to be the Editor.

Of course I've heard reports for years that a Messiah was coming-but these prophets are a dime a dozen and I'm a realist and I want cold hard facts. We have both worked late that nite which is destined to go down in history. You quit about midnite- bid me goodbye and start for home. I continue my writing on an editorial to end all editorials. It's about the pesky Romans- their oppressive taxes and their highhanded order forcing residents to sign up and pay these taxes.

It isn't long before you come rushing into our newspaper office - You are obviously out of breath as you have been running. You are very excited and you say, "The angel - the angel was here and said Christ the Savior had been born!" Now your statement, while not entirely coherent at least makes me stop my writing to inquire just what is it that has upset you so. It is then that you tell me this wonderful story you have heard:

A baby, Christ the Savior, reportedly the son of God was born tonite in the most humble surroundings- a stable where livestock were sleeping- and you have talked to the shepherd who was in the field nearby when the angel of the Lord appeared. This shepherd, still bewildered, told you that the angel exclaimed they should have no fear for born to all people is a son who is Christ the Lord. The infant, the shepherd told you, is lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes.

It isn't long before we have arrived at the manger where a large crowd has gathered. There are, of course, the usual number of curiosity seekers. There are those who have come to see and pay homage to this small baby who is supposed to be the son of God.

We notice a certain radiance about the young mother Mary. The quiet and admiring Joseph stands near her side as they gaze at this child of the virgin birth who was born midst extraordinary circumstances. You and I are both afraid although we try not to show it. And we scarcely realize that we have had a ring side seat at the most amazing and miraculous news story of all time. You and I set out to interview the shepherds who were watching their flocks in the field by nite when the heavens lit up and the angel appeared. We talk a moment to Mary and Joseph. It all seems like a dream to us and we wonder if we can rise to the occasion as we think about our writing our news story of the birth of Christ the Lord. Any misgivings and doubt that the realistic Editor had as he started out in search of the manger have been dispelled. For the first time you and I feel that we have been close to God and now we have seen the son of God.

We return to the newspaper office and we begin what would have been the most important news story ever chronicled by man to man- the story of the birth of the Prince of Peace.

Our story starts out: Christ the Savior, son of God, was born last nite in Bethlehem in the humble and lowly surroundings of the manger. The son of God was born of a virgin birth to young Mary and Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth. The birth of Christ was signaled by the appearance of an angel and an angelic chorus which sang over and over again, "Peace on Earth- Good Will to All Men." The angel who was seen by shepherds tending their flocks in the field appeared to comfort them and to announce to all men everywhere that a Savior, Christ the Lord had been born in the city of David. Our news story then relates the favorite story of the nativity that Christians have read and reread in their bibles for centuries.

There are a number of news stories about Christ in our newspapers during the first few weeks of his birth. There is a visit of the wisemen - the great public acclaim and editorials.

Mary and Joseph begin the new life of parents rearing a small baby. There is the flight to Egypt and we lose contact with the family. Before the family left we had noticed that Jesus seemed to act like any child- and not as we thought the Son of God should act.

As the months and years pass we lose all sight of this child who came into the world with the fanfare of angels. What we did not realize was that Christ was growing up as a typical youth in the province of Judea. That was part of God's plan. He was not to become newsworthy again for many years.

Actually it required the passage of over a quarter of a century before Christ took up his main work in traveling around the country to show and tell of God's will.

If there had been newspapers at the time of Christ I wonder how many people would have believed the countless stories of Jesus healing the sick, calming the waves, preaching the wishes of God and feeding a mob of 5000 with five loaves of bread and two small fish. There were the skeptical, the doubters, the Scrooges, and the quislings, even in those days.

One of our favorite descriptions of Christ was written a number of years ago by Bishop Phillip Brooks who I notice has written some of the hymns we sing in our church. Of Christ he said, "He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never traveled as much as 200 miles from the place he was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompanies greatness. Nineteen long centuries have come and gone and today he is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched and all the navies that ever sailed and all the parliaments and governments that ever sat and all the crowned heads that ever reigned put together have not affected the life of man upon earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life."

Christmas is his birthday and now to come back hastily to the 20th century. We have ended our journey into fantasy. Our you are there commentary which has placed Christ on a very personal basis. (? That's what she wrote but I think you can figure out what she meant.) Let's think for a moment about that last sentence - Christmas is his Birthday (underlined twice).

These are busy days for the average American family. We are getting ready for another Merry Christmas. There are toys and gifts to buy for the children. There's the Christmas dinner to prepare and stockings to fill. In 9 out of 10 cases the accent is on doing something for others.

We are able to forget about ourselves at least one day of the year to do some good- a kind act- and remember someone else. The family-loved ones and friends are very much a part of the Christmas scene in this year of our Lord 1963. All these things to me are a form of Christianity in action.

Christmas - Real Christmas is a state of mind transformed to deeds. In this modem age of hustle and bustle there is a growing cry to put the Christ back in Christmas. There are many who say that Christmas has become a commercialized business venture with the real meaning of the holiday lost in the crowd of shoppers - the tinsel on gaily wrapped packages, the glitter of the Christmas tree, and the ability of Santa Claus to be in many stores and on many streets at the same time.

To me all these things are a part of Christmas. I am confident that Christ has seen our frailties and sins for all these years and is able to smile when he looks down and sees that each of us in his own way has remembered his birthday.

Right here in Cincy there are a number of things and events which typify the true Christmas spirit-Christmas seals-donations to charities- food baskets to the needy- parties and gifts for the under privileged - the sick and shut ins to name a few. Now certainly I don't pose as an expert in any field- but as an average citizen I am optimistic about our observance of Xmas. I see no need for the moaning and criticizing from many quarters about the manner and method that Christmas is observed. There are encouraging signs in town and cities thruout the land. People, more and more of them, are taking time out to think of the other person. This is a basic principal of Christ's teaching.

The cup of human kindness comes close to running over at Christmas time more than at any other time of year. Our problem as Christians is to try to make every day Christmas. And families in need can look for a helping hand in the middle of October just as much as on December 25". We are at least trying to reach that goal of a better friendlier more peaceful world. Being very much human we falter and stumble along the way. But as we attempt to follow in the path of Christ we find all around us the signposts of a better world. The road markers were first placed by the man whose birthday we soon will celebrate. But if his followers had not also erected guides to Christian living and helping others we of today would still be in the Dark Ages. The noble goal of Peace on Earth - Good Will to all Men has not been reached. But we are traveling in the right direction.