This year I settled on a cartoon as our parish Christmas card. Hopefully you've got a copy with your Roundabout. There are lots of people hurrying to see the baby in the manger.
I like it. It's bright, and happy. It's a fun picture. And, of course, there's a not very subtle connection: you can't actually go to see Jesus in Bethlehem, but you can go to church!
I did have a choice for the card, but they were mostly variations on the same theme: pictures of Jesus as a baby with a selection of his mother, Joseph, shepherds, wise men, a star, angels, and, occasionally, a donkey.
The donkey isn't mentioned in the gospels but he, or she, often features. And why not? Jesus wasn't just for people. And the involvement of a donkey is quite likely.
But there were no cards with soldiers. Nor any featuring the paranoid and violent king Herod. And they are in the story.
There's never any dirt either, is there? I know, dirt isn't actually mentioned in the Bible either, but there would have been some. Dirt is more certain than the donkey. Jesus was laid in a manger, and what stable doesn't have a bit of dirt around?
And Mary always looks so calm. She's just had a long journey, been given inadequate accommodation, given birth, and now been disturbed by curious shepherds. Would she have been calm?
Maybe she would. But surely she would also have been exhausted.
Often, of course, Christmas cards don't feature Jesus at all. Or anything to do with him. They are based on another story: Santa Claus bringing presents. Or they feature images of imaginary Christmases long ago: fires, puddings and stage coaches. Or holly, robins and candles.
If our cards do feature Jesus the image is usually tidied up. Which is fine. We can see enough images of the grim side of life on the television any time. Even at Christmas.
But it is important to remember that Jesus was actually born in our real world where there is violence, homelessness, poverty, dirt and exhaustion.
And that's what we go to church to celebrate. God with us.
David Osborne
