UKhisimusi Usho Ukuthini Kuwe?
Ubungaphendula kanjani? UKhisimusi (1) uyisikhathi sokuba nomkhaya wakho; (2) isikhathi samadili; (3) isikhathi senkolo; (4) isikhathi esicindezelayo; (5) isikhathi sezinkumbulo; (6) isikhathi sokuzitika kwabezentengiselwano.
NAKUBA kungase kubonakale kumangalisa, kubantu abangaphezu kuka-1 000 abahlolwa eBrithani, amaphesenti ayisithupha kuphela ayethatha uKhisimusi njengesenzakalo esingokwenkolo ngempela. Uma kuqhathaniswa, amaphesenti angu-48 ayecabanga ukuthi ngokuyinhloko uKhisimusi uyisikhathi sokuba nemikhaya yabo. Empeleni, abaningi bagomela ngokuthi uyisikhathi esikhethekile ezinganeni. Ngokwesibonelo, enye intombazane eneminyaka engu-11, uma ibuzwa ukuthi yini eyithanda kakhulu ngoKhisimusi, yaphendula: “Ubumnandi, umuzwa wenjabulo, [kanye] nokuphana izipho.” I-Making of the Modern Christmas iyavuma ukuthi “ukugqanyiswa kakhulu . . . kukaKhisimusi ‘ovamile’ ngokungangabazeki kusekhaya, emkhayeni futhi ikakhulukazi ezinganeni.”
Kodwa ikakhulukazi kweLobukholwa elisentshonalanga uKhisimusi uyindaba yomkhaya, lapho izihlobo zihlangana khona ukuze ziphane izipho. Emazweni lapho kuphethe khona iSonto LaseMpumalanga Lobu-Orthodox, abantu bagcizelela kakhulu ama-Ista; noma kunjalo, isikhathi sikaKhisimusi ngokuvamile siyisikhathi sokuphumula.
“Icebo Lezentengiselwano”
UKhisimusi “usudlule enqubweni ephawulekayo . . . kwezentengiselwano,” kusho i-New Encyclopædia Britannica. Lokhu kusobala kakhulu eJapane.
“AmaJapane asekuyekile konke ukuzenzisa okungokwenkolo futhi aguqula uKhisimusi awenza umsebenzi wezentengiselwano kuphela,” kubika i-Daily Record yaseWashington. Inezela ngokuthi uKhisimusi eJapane, “uwumgubho omkhulu ogxile kakhulu esicini sezentengiselwano kunasesicini esingokwenkolo.”
Ngisho nasemazweni okuthiwa awobuKristu, “lesisici esingokwenkolo” ngokuvamile asibonakali. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-40 edlule, elinye ipheshana elimelene noKhisimusi lakhononda: “UKhisimusi uxhaswa ezentengiselwano. Uyinkathi yonyaka evelele yokuzuza imali. Osomabhizinisi abathi bangamaKristu babheka phambili enkathini kaKhisimusi, hhayi ngenxa kaKristu, kodwa ngenxa yenzuzo yemali.” Yeka ukuthi ayiqiniso kanjani lawomazwi namhlanje! Emazweni amaningi, sithi singakafiki nasezinyangeni ezintathu zokugcina zonyaka sizwe izikhumbuzo zokuthi sekusele izinsuku ezingaki kuyothengwa izipho zikaKhisimusi ozayo. Ezohwebo ziyashesha ngasekupheleni konyaka, futhi izindali zonyaka zezitolo eziyingxenye eyodwa kwezine ziba ngesikhathi sikaKhisimusi.
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uKhisimusi usho ukuthini kuwe njengamanje, ungase uzibuze ukuthi wadabukaphi. Eqinisweni, iBhayibheli liyakusekela yini ukuphana izipho kwangoKhisimusi? Ingabe imigubho kaKhisimusi yanamuhla iwubuKristu ngempela? Ake sibone.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 2]
Cover: Thomas Nast/Dover Publications, Inc., 1978