As the year winds down, the world seems to pause, reflect, and listen. There is a subtle slowing down in the air, as if time itself is inviting us to look back before moving ahead. Christmas arrives in this quiet space, not merely as a festival on the calendar, but as a gentle reminder that even on the coldest and darkest days, warmth has its own way of returning.
Celebrated on the 25th of December, Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. Yet beyond history, theology, and ritual, it speaks a universal spiritual language that people across cultures instinctively understand. Hence, at its heart, Christmas reassures humanity of one enduring truth: darkness is never permanent, and light always finds its way back.
It is fascinating that ancient civilisations considered this period sacred long before modern celebrations took shape. From this point onwards, days begin to grow longer. For early humans, this gradual return of sunlight was not symbolic; it was survival itself. It meant warmth, crops, safety, and continuity of life. And hence, in a very real sense, Christmas marks the turning of nature’s wheel from despair to hope. Perhaps this is why Christmas effortlessly transcends religion. One need not belong to any particular faith to feel its presence. Streets glow with lights, homes feel warmer, and people make time for one another. Families gather, often crossing distances and differences that seemed impossible just weeks earlier. There is laughter around dining tables, shared memories, and a rare willingness to forgive. Old grudges loosen their grip, and forgotten relationships find space to heal, even if quietly.
In a world increasingly driven by transactions, Christmas gently nudges us back toward connection. Christmas whispers a simple yet powerful truth: live well, live rightly, and life responds with grace. When the inner light returns, through compassion, forgiveness, and awareness, the world outside begins to brighten on its own. In remembering this, Christmas becomes less about a single day and more about a way of being.
The writer is a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal and the UK, and has written more than 9,000 columns. He can be contacted at nikunjji@gmail.com / www.brahmakumaris.com
