How good will your goodwill be?

Goodwill is more than the name of the Zulu king. It is also more than a day, that day after Christmas. It is more than an attitude or a feeling too, although it is so often associated with a feeling of well-being.

The day after Christmas used to be known as Boxing Day. Somewhat shrouded in tradition, apparently the name came from the practice of giving a box to tradespeople after Christmas. That, of course, changed only a little, and every dustman, security guard or beggar will approach one to ask for their Christmas box well before Christmas.

The feast-day of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, always felt a little inappropriate on this day, straight after the birth of the Christ himself. But the carol’s Good King Wenceslas, who went out on the feast of Stephen to give alms to the poor, sums up the tradition and the Day of Goodwill well for me. Except of course the issue of the weather which the good king had to brave, as there is no snow that is deep and crisp and even to be found in South Africa this Christmas, just buckets and buckets of rain it seems.

I also discovered that Boxing Day was traditionally the day for a Christmas pantomime to be performed.

On the issue of goodwill. If you asked your children, or grandchildren what the word means to them, what would be their answer? Possibly little ones still immersed in the tradition of Christmas plays at school would most likely know the words of the angels, peace on earth to people (no longer just men) of good will.

For others it might have a different meaning. When selling a business, goodwill adds to the value of the business and can even be quantified.

One could ask: Should it just be a day, or is it an attitude to life to be adopted for the whole year?

I find that the whole run-up to Christmas can be pretty hard going in all kinds of ways. Partying, rushing to get all kinds of things finished, exams and then holidays for the younger ones, stress for those who are working up to the last day especially These are not conducive to an atmosphere of goodwill. Even for those who were getting away on holiday, shopping, and no doubt dropping, have probably exhausted every last ounce of energy and probably too of the goodwill that should be synonymous with the season.

Although I have family around Johannesburg who generally disperse only after Christmas for a short holiday, I usually begin to feel anxious weeks beforehand about the who and what and where and when. At times that also interferes quite a lot with my own feelings of goodwill.

Could goodwill be a marketable product, one may ask? Could it be something promoted and packaged beautifullybut something with real content, a message and a way of life, the message of the Son of God, my friend Jesus as our MARFAM Christmas booklet described him?

Could goodwill be simply a smile on the faces of everyone, peace in the home, avoiding and banishing domestic violence, right relationships between parents and children so that there won’t be endless debates about whether a good smack is bad abuse?

Could it be honesty and integrity, absence of fraud and corruption and a particular concern for the underprivileged too? That kind of goodwill needs a decision and a commitment to stick with it, the kind of thing a New Year’s resolution should be.

And while you’re about building the goodwill at home, where after all it all starts, don’t forget to engage in some caroling. Yes, Christmas might be over, but carols actually belong after Christmas, after the Child is born, not for months before. But then again, if goodwill is to be a 365/24/7 thing why not?

Singing, dancing, partying and whistle-blowing can all be part of the pantomime of family life day by day. And we have the God who became one of us at Christmas so many years ago to thank for that.

Deo Gratias, for your wisdom, love and generosity from us all.