A Christmas Whisky

Some may see the title of this little article and balk.  “Christmas has nothing to do with whisky . . . unless you’re a drunk.  Christmas is the time we take to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  What does that have in common with whisky?”  A fair question and one that deserves an answer, so let me see what I can do with it. 

Christmas has evolved from the “miracle” of Jesus’ birth.  In fact, I doubt that it was ever about only that event.  If you look at the history of the holiday, there’s an argument to be made that Christmas was actually absconded by the Christians.  But that’s beside the point.  There are whole numbers of reasons for celebrating Christmas and Jesus’ birth is just one of them. 

One of the pivotal stories embedded in the birth of Jesus story is the story of the three wise men bearing gifts.  These three learned men arrived at the manger and presented the baby Jesus with among the most cherished “things” of the time—gold, frankincense and myrrh.  (What a newborn child would do with a precious metal and two ingredients for incense is beyond me.  Their wisdom obviously wasn’t in their ability to pick appropriate gifts—like something more comfortable than swaddling clothes.)  So now, or so the story would go, we present gifts to others to emulate the three wise men in their act of praise on the first Christmas.

Really?  I think if Jesus were here today (you know what I mean and not in the Jacob Marley sense) he’d say that there are infinitely more important things than praise.  To elevate praise above those things mitigates the lessons he was trying to teach.  A gift given as an act of kindness and thoughtfulness would have far more impact than a gift given and received as an act of praise.  So what was it the story of the three wise men was trying to teach us?  I would submit that the ultimate goal is fellowship . . . the fellowship gained by willingly offering gifts to others

So, when next you have guests at your home, pour them and yourselves a single malt whisky.  Raise your glass and say “Slainte and Merry Christmas” and don’t expect a return salute.  When you’ve taken your sip, you’ll notice that the warmth at the back of your throat is surpassed only by the warmth you feel from your offered and received fellowship.  That’s what I’d submit is among the things we should look to celebrate at Christmas.  The wonderful thing about this simple gift . . . you can give it year round.

That being said, I’ll be stopping by everyone’s house soon for a little fellowship . . . and make sure it’s the fellowship from Islay.