The colours, the lights, the music, the dance—Christmas is when the arts come alive.
Or is it? Maybe it’s more accurate to say Christmas is when we open our eyes to all the ways art enhances our lives.
Because art is always there. It surrounds us every day, in ways we may take for granted.
When we watch a movie or a TV show, we might occasionally think about the time the actors spent in drama school, but we less often consider that everything we see on the screen is a result of an artistic decision. Everything from the set design to the costumes, lighting, and even the actors’ makeup is an applied work of art.
When we listen to music (or when we hear it every waking hour, whether we’re listening or not) we may recognize the big-name star singing our favourite song. But we don’t give a thought to the hours they spent singing scales and vocal exercises, studying songs and interpretations, all to perfect their craft.
And behind every star is at least a dozen other musicians creating that signature sound. We may recognize their talent, but their success is always a result of training and discipline.
Everything people make and everything we do is influenced by the need to merge form, function, and esthetics. Art is everywhere, whether it is practical or fanciful or both.
It doesn’t just happen. It comes from somewhere. It comes from people with a desire to create something and try out their ideas, and who have a generous impulse to share what they’ve made.
At this time of year, that generosity is part of what we understand as the spirit of Christmas.
We repay the generosity when we attend a community performance or buy a piece at an art or crafts sale. After all, it does take a bit of effort to leave our comfortable homes to take in a dance performance or a concert.
The generosity of the artists and the generosity of the audience form a synergy that makes everyone feel good. Part of it is the excitement of Christmas, of course. But most of it comes from a shared experience that is just plain fun for everyone involved.
The fundamental truth about gifts, and about the deeper meaning of Christmas, is that it is better to give than to receive. In the case of the arts, it’s hard to know who is giving and who is “getting.”
Peace and goodwill, love and merriment, and a generous community spirit—why can’t it be Christmas all the time?