25 times Christmas since the year 2000
The “somewhat older” people amongst us will certainly remember New Years Eve 1999. The whole world eagerly welcomed the new millennium in 2000. The start of a new era; a time in which everything would be different and better.
Wars were outdated and from the last millennium. We were all hoping that in a “new and digital world without borders” peace would come soon. Better times for everybody; that was the idea!
Do you remember your own good intentions from that time? Which hope, expectations did you have at the start of the new millennium?
The harsh truth has imposed itself upon us since the year 2000. There are idle hopes for a new era and a better world. It has dawned upon us that such a rare turn of the year (from 1999 to 2000) does not mean that the world changes alongside with it. This requires much more!
This year we are celebrating Christmas for the 25th time since the start of the new millennium. So, you might say: this year’s Christmas will be the Silver Jubilee of Christmas in the 3rd millennium! In a manner of speaking Christmas will be lit by a silver glow this year…!
However…, Christmas has always been lit with a silver or even golden glow through the ages. During each Christmastime people’s spirits were and are raised by the Light of Christmas Eve, by a heavenly host of angels singing about Peace on Earth, by the incomprehensible miracle of the birth of Jesus, The Prince of Peace, who was lying in a manger in a stable in Bethlehem.
Our PCC – Hand in Hand Community is also celebrating Christmas for the 25th time in this 3rd millennium, a kind of “PCC Christmas Silver Jubilee”.
Christmas in our Community is always very special: the silver glow of Christmas lights is everywhere and wonderful golden fabrics are worn during our annual Christmas play.
Silver and gold, just like the presents which the three wise men from the East brought to the stable in Bethlehem.
Since the year 2000 and for already 25 times, the residents of PCC have been singing or humming along with “O come o ye faithful” and of course with “Silent night, Holy night”.
Since the year 2000 and for already 25 times, a medley of well-known Christmas songs in reggae style can be heard continuously in the whole Community. Among these songs there always is “Little drummer boy” and everybody will sing along loudly with “Pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum”. “Powerful text…”, I can hear you say, but it lights up the fire even more here! You can hear the drums of PCC in this song, and this makes everybody very happy!
Since the year 2000 and for already 25 times, excitement is jingling in the air in PCC during (the many preparations for) all Christmas celebrations. Not all residents fully understand what Christmas means to them, but they do know that it is an exceptional, wonderful and very special celebration, because that is what they experience year after year!
Since the year 2000 and for already 25 times, Christmas in PCC (and hopefully for you, too) has been a celebration of a peaceful get-together, a celebration of Hope, Happiness and Expectation, a celebration of looking forward to a New World, a world without limitations and a world which will be dominated by justice and peace.
May this world soon dawn.
This year, next year, this millennium, in His time.
We wish you and everyone “Merry Christmas and a Happy 2025”!
Afehyia Paa!