The Season of Gray
You might be interested to know that Santa Claus skips the Czech Republic in his gift giving spree across the globe. There are no reindeers on rooftops or cookies left for the jolly old fellow here. Have no worries however, the children have made their wishlists and have even mailed them off to their generous Christmas benefactor. Gifts will come, but not from the magical sack of Mr. Claus. Rather the gifts will be delivered by baby Jesus, or in Czech, “Ježišek”.
A mailbox for sending letters to Jezisek is present on every town square in the weeks before Christmas.
On Christmas Eve, while the children are out for a walk with grandma or somewise otherly distracted, Ježišek will come in through the window, set up the Christmas Tree and deliver gifts according to children’s wishes. In more recent times, parents have adapted to the tradition of setting up the tree prior to Christmas and relieving baby Jesus from this task, but traditionally he is happy to do it if you want to wait for him. As Ježišek makes his exit, a bell rings, signaling his departure and the Christmas joy left in his wake. Gifts will then be opened, the crescendo of happiness after a long day of fasting and keeping an eye out for that golden piglet.
A popular depiction of Jezisek riding in on a cloud
In recent years, due to all of the globalizing factors, more and more Santa Claus kitsch appears on retailers’ shelves, imported from China along with Halloween decorations and Valentine’s candies and whatever other products are being overproduced in China to meet the American consumer demands. Many Czechs are not happy about it. There are even campaigns to ban Santa Claus from the Czech lands and “Save Ježišek”.
Before you go getting too excited about this rendition of Christmas that at first glance might have so much more meaning and lend greater continuity to the actual Christmas celebration, note that “Baby Jesus” is hardly associated with that babe in the manger, the son of God. In fact, many Christians strongly oppose celebrating Christmas in this way as they perceive it as disrespectful and profane. “Ježišek” is after all, a diminutive word formation of the name of our savior “Ježiš”. Baby Jesus in the Christmas tradition here assumes very much the same mythos as Santa, with no religious associations to be made in the minds of most. He does not have a solidified image, though he has been depicted in various ways. Some say he is only a spirit, while others have him as a little boy riding on a flying moped. A lady in church just last Sunday was regaling me with her apologetics for why Ježišek is far superior to Santa, and we American Christians should adopt him as well in rejection of that heathen Santa Claus. So it turns out, like so many of these gray area cultural phenomena, it just depends on who you ask.
When we were learning Czech I was promptly informed by the Christians around me that I ought never use a certain word that is the equivalent of English “unfortunately” because it had a root word in it that implied that the something unfortunate was attributed to God’s fault. I was given a substitute word to use which was acceptable for Christians. I did always get a bit of a cocked head funny look when I used it, but figured it was par for the course of behaving Christianly in an atheistic land. When we moved to Prague, I was shocked to hear all of my Christian friends and church family using the forbidden word! I told them what I had been instructed about the word and the substitute word I had been given. They were amused and had a little chuckle, “No one thinks of that word like that, it just makes you sound weird.” I’m admittedly still mostly using my substitute word. In my mind, it had become solidified that this word was profane, and thus I would never use it. If I ever use the popular form of the word, I get a little twinge of guilt and embarrassment, even though not even Christians here would think anything of it. What is the right thing to do? Such is the nature of these gray areas. In my own conscience, I cannot unhinge my knowledge that the word in some way profanes God, and words are very important to me. On the other hand, when I hear the word spoken from the pulpit on Sunday and no one even notices other than myself, I have to admit that it probably isn’t the curse word I thought it to be.
If you hadn’t ever noticed, personal experience is a powerful thing. It shapes how we interpret and feel about the world going on around us. It leads us to notice particular details above others, and lend them greater weight. Each of us brings these very particular perceptions with us into every interaction of life. How these life experiences affect our churches and corporate life together is the subject of countless books and sermons.
Not to be overly simplistic, but I am so thankful that our faith is not founded on customs and feelings, cultural impressions. Our faith is rooted and established in the Word of God, the perfect revelation of God’s character and purposes in our world. I rejoice in this season of Advent because I am able to re-center my focus on Christ, recalibrate my mind and spirit in light of His word, and celebrate His very real and living presence in our lives. It gives us grace for the gray areas, but also conviction of what matters, as we seek Him and submit ourselves to His lordship in our lives.
