What a Bear believes

December 15, 2005 | Category: Mother to the First Power

So, CD's from Iceland. Born and raised. And in Iceland, Christmas is celebrated not just with Santa but with the Jólasveinar (YO-la-sway-nar).

To sum up: for about 900 years two evil trolls - Gryla and her second husband Leppalúði, who live in a mountain cave - have been playing mean tricks on the folks of Iceland. About 500 years ago they had kids, lots and lots (some say around 60) little (like elves) and very strange male children. (Don't think Disney dwarves, these guys have a streak of scary in them).

Each year during mid-Advent (either 9 or 13 days before Christmas) Icelandic children the world over start putting their boot in their bedroom window. And each night, one of the strange and gnomish Jólasveinar will leave a small gift for the child (if he or she has been good) and play a trick on the adults of the house (like steal the ham or slam a door).

There is lot about this season that people celebrate. I've tried to focus on the generousity of St. Nicholas of Myra, the miracle of Chanukah, and the blessing of Jesus and his birth story .... and, the rest? Well, we've let Bear be exposed to it all - from Kwanzaa carols to the science behind the solstice.

Bear will go his own way, as always, and he has happily blended Santa and Rudolph and Jesus Christ and the Jólasveinar and Frosty the Snowman together with our practiced traditions like Advent supper and Christmas crackers (the kind that pop) and decorating the tree and lighting the sacred candles and the Christmas pagent into a his own, unique, mythology of the season.

All of which he firmly, and deeply, believes.

And from his faith in it all, CD and I are constantly reminded what the season truly means. Bear reflects to us the miracle of faith. Of believing in things that you can not prove. In things that make no sense. In things outside yourself. In goodness. In love. In elves. In Christmas.

Some grown-ups keep that lesson close to their hearts all the time. But CD and I - what with all the busy running around and ranting and being stressed and all - well, we misplaced our map back to Whoville along with the frigging checkbook some weeks ago....

This morning was the 3rd night of the Jólasveinar. At 4AM, CD heard Bear moving around and went into his room to check what was going on. He found Bear out of bed by the window, excitedly hugging the gift he'd found in the boot.

"A Transformer! Scattorshot!" he crowed. "The Jólasveinar knew I loved Transformers, Daddy! He knew it!"

CD told him that he had to leave it until morning and go back to bed. Reluctantly, Bear gave up the toy to his father and climbed back up into his bed. He slipped back under the covers, and CD kissed him good night.

While CD pulled the door closed, he saw Bear lean towards the window with the empty boot in it. He stood, watching, making sure Bear wasn't about to sneak back out of bed.

And Bear wasn't.

As CD watched, Bear whispered "Thank you" to the window where the Jólasveinar had been. Just in case he was still out there, just in case he could hear.

CD, who'd remembered that he'd forgotten to buy gifts the day before. CD who had grumbled and grunted and run out to the store... found himself misty-eyed outside his son's door....

And when he told me, later, I felt it, too. And we both remembered what we'd forgotten in all our worry about jobs and money and lawyers...

It's Christmas.

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas ... perhaps ... means a little bit more!"

And what happened then...?
Well ... in Who-ville they say
That the Grinch's small heart
Grew three sizes that day!
~ Dr. Suess (How the Grinch Stole Christmas)

Share: Delicious! | Stumble It! |   Slashdot It!