This is the Pause

This is the pause
Between a mountain of potato chopping
Last minute panic shopping
Awkwardly shaped gift wrapping
And that sudden cold stone dropping
As another to-do, long forgotten
Is remembered too late

This is the hush
As the cast shuffle in
Past the cardboard Inn
And angels wearing tin-foil wings
Sing ‘Glory to the new born King’
Then wise men accidentally bring
Gold, Frankenstein and myrrh

This is the deep breath
Before the party frocking
Door knocking
Hob-nobbing
Head nodding
Shop-talking
And slightly inappropriate Secret Santa swapping

This is the quiet
Before the storm
This is the sigh
As bills pile high
This is the sparkle of decorations
This is the pressure of expectations
This is the growing realisation
It’s all too much

Two thousand years of scrunched up paper,
Santa and reindeer
Trees and crackers
Cheese and crackers
Carrot peelings
Hurt feelings
Family tension
Commercialisation
Stuffing and stuff
When will it ever be enough?
And it’s all piled so teeteringly high
I can’t see Jesus.

…

This is the time
To press into the pause
Be still in the hush
Take the deep breath
And look

Look at this boy
Mary’s precious one
God’s own Son
Brimming with life
And hope
And joy.

Jesus
Just Jesus
Me and Jesus
You and Jesus

Jesus is enough.