Thank You For the Music

It's around this time during the festive celebrations that the charms of music to soothe the Savage breast are seasonally challenged. Suddenly, after all the heavenly wonder of carols crossing the frosty ether, the cosy, lullabyesque qualities of praises to the new-born Jesus change all too rapidly back to more everyday sounds of music. Gone are the triumphant encouragement for all nations to joyfully rise with Adeste Fideles, or if you prefer O come All Ye Faithful. Banished to the back of the CD rack for another twelve months can so easily go the Manger, Away along with the wondrous childhood of Jesus which, officially at least we remember for a further twelve days and even in some Christian tradition right through to Candlemas on 2nd February.
Thank heavens then on this first Sunday after Christmas for Classic FM. Now 12 years old, I wonder how the British airwaves ever managed without this gem of a radio station which, surprisingly for a commercial service, deservedly trumpets its programmes in December as "The Sound of Christmas". Throughout this morning, they have been playing "Boxing Day Requests", with a goodly smattering of seasonal favourites to keep the Christmas cheer flowing and joining families separated by distance or other commitments- much in the tradition of good old Family Favourites way back when.
I thought that the Christmas flavour might dissipate like flat champagne after mid-day, but no. One-time MP and well-known football fan David Mellor is Classic FM's unlikely but popular celebrity presenter in the slot once occupied, indeed, by love birds Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe on the old BBC Light Programme.
Mellor's choice of music already this afternoon has included the sinfonia from Bach's Christmas Oratorio, and now Debussy's lovely Clair de Lune, a most evocative and romantic celebration of the celestial presence which, mysteriously, is missing from the Christmas story in the Bible. We all know about the star in the East, but where was the moon? If it was anything like the lovely clear evenings of the last couple of Christmas nights, our sun's little brother must surely have been guiding those Magi by midnight too.
On a cold frosty Sunday afternoon, and a snowy one elsewhere but not here in the South East, this sort of music is as warming as a mug of mulled wine -as Mellor suggests, just the sort of thing to enjoy slouched in a comfortable armchair after too much turkey and Christmas pud the day before. Not that we have over-indulged ourselves Chez Savage, though the marvellous meal at the Magpie yesterday afternoon certainly provided a soporific spread come home time and I was glad to doze off to Classic's wonderfully eclectic mix of carols old and new- so much more satisfying than the eye candy of so much festive TV today. No wonder Rennies are sponsoring ITV's Christmas drama as even the best of it seems like a repeat, or burp as we call them in our household.
Apparently, according to TV show Full on Food, tiredness after a big meal is induced by the body diverting blood flow to the digestive system to cope: and there was me thinking it was just the effect of too much wine.

MONEY MONEY MONEY
Today's blog is beginning to look more like a homage to Abba than to the continuing strange mixture of emotions and delights of Christmastime. I couldn't avoid the puns, but surely the nation's retailers could, just for 24 hours or so, avoid the need to force their staff away from hearth and home to open up stores not just on the day after Christmas, but on a Sunday. That at least prevents them opening too early, and to six hours trading at most but are we really all so desperate for a new sofa that we have to get it less than 12 hours after Christmas Day ends? Even then, you needn't expect delivery for weeks, usually.
Watching ITV for a change as we did for much of Christmas evening, there was no avoiding the relentless assault on the basest instincts of man- double your discount, a certain well-known furniture retailer is proclaiming to a bowldlerised cover of Katie Melua's Closest Thing to Crazy. Yes, like double the discount on the inflated price you would dare to charge in the first place if we would but pay it. Why has Britain gone 24/7 money mad? Who do we blame- the internet and shop til you droportunities, or those oldest and most vile of vices, greed and jealousy? Instead of dashing out to get the latest new kitchen or lounge suite to keep up with the Joneses, why not just invite the Joneses in for a seasonal tipple and some tasty vittals just as you are- isn't that what this season is really supposed to be all about, i.e welcoming others into our overcrowded lives?

RELAX AND ESCAPE
Traditionally among TV advertisers, and for that matter radio, this was the time when the holiday ads started to saturate the screen and speaker. With the anticipation of Christmas evaporated in the space of a few all too short hours, everyone needed something else to look forward to on cold,dull winter days and the next summer holiday seemed the perfect motivator. However, in the age of e-bookers, it seems, all that has gone and choosing your holiday can happen any time of the year. Nevertheless, there can be a very real desire to escape, especially as January looms which once the decorations have finally come down, always seems the longest month even though it has exactly the same number of days as the one which preceeds it. And, like the purrfect cat curled up in an armchair, I'm all for relaxing!
Classic FM seem to have recaptured the old spirit of holiday longing with their latest compilation CD set, which features a hot air balloon on the cover and four hours of the finest classical music. Roll on Summer- but hey, the sun is shining so maybe I need a Sunday walk for my own mini escape! I'd rather have it this way than cloudy any day, but particularly today. Contrary to popular terminology though, it is NOT Boxing Day when the 26th falls on a Sunday. As far as I am concerned, it's still Christmas Sunday- when and who decided to change this, or is it just that all too prevalent attitude of "let's not bother about that issue"?
St Stephen's Day, also commemorated tomorrow (Monday) but never on a Sunday, is supposed to be a time for properly remembering all those persecuted for their beliefs, especially St Stephen himself, the first Christian martyr. It's therefore perhaps the perfect time to take to heart what Her Majesty addressed in a well-received Christmas message yesterday. In a year which has seen all too much evidence of tension arising over the different beliefs and understandings of our multi-faith society, she stressed the importance of tolerance and mere humanity towards those whose approach to life is different to our own, and said she sees this as a fundamental virtue of British life.
For the Queen as a Christian, this is most vividly represented in the parable of the Good Samaritan, which we all too easily forget is a classic example of cross-cultural understanding and compassion which goes the extra mile.

The origins of "Boxing Day" lie in a pleasant but ulitmately divisive tradition- that of the "upper" classes deigning to reward their "servants" with seasonal gifts of money and kind. Fine though this is in a way, and musically represented by Good King Wenceslas, it's really not in the spirit of the total emptying of all but love which Jesus came to bring. Because Christians believe that ALL have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God which is seen in the teaching and example of Jesus the Messiah,, we must never forget Sunday- even though I have to confess I was unable to get to church myself today. Because he lived, died and rose again, we celebrate the greatest mystery of all. Our everday lives to which we all too soon return should be about seeking to enjoy that, and worship Him, even if we can't explain it or have all the answers. But why should we? As our minister in Feltham, John Graham, said at a lovely Christmas Morning service yesterday, can you explain just why you like your favourite piece of music? To explain the mystery is to lose its power; God's love in Jesus cannot be priced on any swing ticket, but it IS a ticket to life!