Xmas and Christmas: A Lost Chapter from Herodotus

by C. S. Lewis

Here's a fun Christmas story that I read:

"And beyond this there lies in the ocean, turned towards the west and north, the island of Niatirb which Hecataeus indeed declares to be the same size and shape as Sicily, but it is larger, though in calling it triangular a man would not miss the mark. It is densely inhabited by men who wear clothes not very different from the other barbarians who occupy the north western parts of Europe though they do not agree with them in language. These islanders, surpassing all the men of whom we know in patience and endurance, use the following customs.

"In the middle of winter when fogs and rains most abound they have a great festival which they call Exmas and for fifty days they prepare for it in the fashion I shall describe. First of all, every citizen is obliged to send to each of his friends and relations a square piece of hard paper stamped with a picture, which in their speech is called an Exmas-card. But the pictures represent birds sitting on branches, or trees with a dark green prickly leaf, or else men in such garments as the Niatirbians believe that their ancestors wore two hundred years ago riding in coaches such as their ancestors used, or houses with snow on their roofs. And the Niatirbians are unwilling to say what these pictures have to do with the festival; guarding (as I suppose) some sacred mystery. And because all men must send these cards the marketplace is filled with the crowd of those buying them, so that there is great labour and weariness.

"But having bought as many as they suppose to be sufficient, they return to their houses and find there the like cards which others have sent to them. And when they find cards from any to whom they also have sent cards, they throw them away and give thanks to the gods that this labour at least is over for another year. But when they find cards from any to whom they have not sent, then they beat their breasts and wail and utter curses against the sender; and, having sufficiently lamented their misfortune, they put on their boots again and go out into the fog and rain and buy a card for him also. And let this account suffice about Exmas-cards.

"They also send gifts to one another, suffering the same things about the gifts as about the cards, or even worse. For every citizen has to guess the value of the gift which every friend will send to him so that he may send one of equal value, whether he can afford it or not. And they buy as gifts for one another such things as no man ever bought for himself. For the sellers, understanding the custom, put forth all kinds of trumpery, and whatever, being useless and ridiculous, they have been unable to sell throughout the year they now sell as an Exmas gift. And though the Niatirbians profess themselves to lack sufficient necessary things, such as metal, leather, wood and paper, yet an incredible quantity of these things is wasted every year, being made into the gifts.

"But during these fifty days the oldest, poorest, and most miserable of the citizens put on false beards and red robes and walk about the market-place; being disguised (in my opinion) as Cronos. And the sellers of gifts no less than the purchaser’s become pale and weary, because of the crowds and the fog, so that any man who came into a Niatirbian city at this season would think some great public calamity had fallen on Niatirb. This fifty days of preparation is called in their barbarian speech the Exmas Rush.

"But when the day of the festival comes, then most of the citizens, being exhausted with the Rush, lie in bed till noon. But in the evening they eat five times as much supper as on other days and, crowning themselves with crowns of paper, they become intoxicated. And on the day after Exmas they are very grave, being internally disordered by the supper and the drinking and reckoning how much they have spent on gifts and on the wine. For wine is so dear among the Niatirbians that a man must swallow the worth of a talent before he is well intoxicated.

"Such, then, are their customs about the Exmas. But the few among the Niatirbians have also a festival, separate and to themselves, called Crissmas, which is on the same day as Exmas. And those who keep Crissmas, doing the opposite to the majority of the Niatirbians, rise early on that day with shining faces and go before sunrise to certain temples where they partake of a sacred feast. And in most of the temples they set out images of a fair woman with a new-born Child on her knees and certain animals and shepherds adoring the Child. (The reason of these images is given in a certain sacred story which I know but do not repeat.)

"But I myself conversed with a priest in one of these temples and asked him why they kept Crissmas on the same day as Exmas; for it appeared to me inconvenient. But the priest replied, “It is not lawful, O stranger, for us to change the date of Chrissmas, but would that Zeus would put it into the minds of the Niatirbians to keep Exmas at some other time or not to keep it at all. For Exmas and the Rush distract the minds even of the few from sacred things. And we indeed are glad that men should make merry at Crissmas; but in Exmas there is no merriment left.” And when I asked him why they endured the Rush, he replied, “It is, O Stranger, a racket”; using (as I suppose) the words of some oracle and speaking unintelligibly to me (for a racket is an instrument which the barbarians use in a game called tennis).

"But what Hecataeus says, that Exmas and Crissmas are the same, is not credible. For first, the pictures which are stamped on the Exmas-cards have nothing to do with the sacred story which the priests tell about Crissmas. And secondly, the most part of the Niatirbians, not believing the religion of the few, nevertheless send the gifts and cards and participate in the Rush and drink, wearing paper caps. But it is not likely that men, even being barbarians, should suffer so many and great things in honour of a god they do not believe in. And now, enough about Niatirb."

(Niatirb is Britain spelled backwards =D) enjoy "plundering the egyptians" this season!

Courage

Bravery is defined as courageous behavior or character. A person with courage is prepared for nearly every task. They are willing and capable of facing rough situations without hesitation and are willing to step forward when a hard task comes along. A man may possess many characteristics, but without bravery or courage, he is unprepared for life. The journey of life is full of unexpected, surprising, and sometimes difficult situations that requite a person to be intrepid. It takes spunk and boldness to stand up for political and biblical issues; to be a salt and light in a world of darkness; to embark on a new stage of life, whether high school, college, marriage, or something else; to be willing to confront people on issues that need to be address; or even to talk to people you've never met. Every day we face situations of one kind or another which demand some level of grit.

A person lacking bravery will not make it very far in this world of constant change, uncertainty, and difficulty. Christians especially, must be courageous enough to stand up for what the believe and be willing to face a world of different opinions and worldviews with confidence. People who are unaccustomed to living fearless lives are cowards. How strong will a coward stand in the mist of a spiritual battle?

God told the people of Israel through Joshua, "have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Where could anyone ever find a better command to be strong and courageous?

People are not born with courage and fearlessness, but rather are trained up in such a way as to instill courageous character in the young people. It takes dedication from the parents to train their children to become what they should be. Teaching them the importance of spending time in God's Word, living a life honoring to Christ, and standing up in the face of giants. The family and friends surrounding a person play a huge roll in who they will become and thus it is important that the parents help guide and council their child as to wise relationships. It take hard work and dedication to produce the caliber of young adult with bravery that our nation is in such need of.

Courageous people are well worth of praise. They have withstood trials and faced difficulties with endurance. They stood when others would fall, and persevered when others would quit. They are also influential in inspiring other around them to pursue the same quality.

bravery.

One of the most admired and encomiumized virtues, unfeigned bravery is a jewel of mankind. The popularity of this virtue is not just a current fad of this generation or nation as a whole. Accolades of this character trait have been prominent since ancient times. The Greeks actually prized bravery in a man above all else and the men would gladly die in order to be remembered as “brave.” In the Noah Webster 1828 dictionary, bravery is defined as “courage; fearlessness of danger; generosity or dignity of mind which despises meanness and cruelty, and disdains to take advantage of a vanquished enemy.”

Winston Churchill says that bravery is “what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” This is very true. Being brave does not mean that the person can be prideful and boastful. Quite the contrary. If a person is truly brave, meek and selfless qualities will also follow. To complete the mental picture of this attribute another quote will help round it out to a more full perspective. “[Bravery] doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow. (Mary Anne Radmacher)” It often takes very little to get discouraged and quite trying, but persevering through the tough times is what really builds character.

Bravery is not a characteristic that a person is either born with, or not; it is a goal that must be sought after. Acquiring it takes lots of effort and determination. Many trials will come and it is through these that a person gains the courage to struggle and eventually conquer. The friend and family that comprise a person’s companions will determine what kind of man/woman the person will become. If the friends are always trying to make life easy and coddle the person, he/she will never learn proper fear nor how to deal with situations which call for valorous deeds.

When courage and steadfast boldness are nurtured in a person from an early age, bravery will be connate and a lasting virtue. This will result in a person of rich character that will be prepared to face any obstacle in any situation. “Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery. Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love.” (Morihei Ueshiba)

moderns or ancients?

Throughout present-day America, thousands upon thousands of books are available for the populace to read. With so many choices, how should a person begin to decide where to start in the vast sea of printed pages?

If first-hand accounts are best and truest, then would that not apply to books as well? A great place to begin studying would be to go back to the primary sources and just read them. Yes, it is an gi-normous task, but when all is said and done, the education that will automatically be absorbed by simply reading such great works is incomparable. There are so many books about the same topic and even story, and most of them are just watered-down versions and variants of the original author's points, ideas, worldview, thoughts, and emotions. Why bother even opening the cover to the muddled and confusing interpretations of renown books by inconsequential writers, when, in roughly the same amount of time, the door to an unknown world can be thrown open wide and articulately described and explained by choosing an original title over a newfangled copy-cat?

Even though the classic books may appear daunting, a person should not give up. After all, the authentic books have already passed the test of time and are really worthwhile to read, unlike so many of the contemporary novels and history rewritings. Plus, the results will be more rewarding and the material exposed/learned will be of much more use and significance to the reader if the tough books are persevered through (not even half of the classics require such arduous and keen reading). However there are times to read commentaries to aid in the understanding of a book or its parts, but this type of reading should not comprise all nor a majority of what a person reads.

What will you read next: an ancient, time-tested classic or a modern and diluted rendition of a classic?

note: I am not discounting the modern and educational writings of all present-day literature, but rather seeking to show the importance to read and understand the ancient classics; after all, goodness, beauty, and truth can be found everywhere, even in pagan books.