Christmas Little Women Style
Celebrate Christmas Like the March Girls in Alcott’s Novel
Christmas started down the path of commercial significance during the Victorian Era. It was then that the idea of lavishing many gifts on children came into vogue and the idea of Christmas trees and Santa Claus became increasingly popular. As a modern day inheritance, the commercial Christmas has become unpopular with those who feel there ought to be more to the holiday than collecting stuff for and from friends and relations.
Christmas During the Civil War
Little Women begins with the lament “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents.” The March girls are waiting for their mother to return home and are whining about their poverty as they look forward to the impending holiday.
The March family is poverty stricken because the father has lost their wealth while attempting to aid a friend. As a result, the children know what it is like to not have the things their heart’s desired. However, this Christmas demands even more self-sacrifice than those preceding. Their father is serving as a chaplain in the army and the demands of the war mean that everyone will be having a difficult winter. As a result, Marmee suggested that they not spend money on pleasure when so many are suffering.
Giving to Those You Love
The girls brighten as they remember their own money and decide that they could buy some small trinkets with their own money to amuse themselves. However, it isn’t long before they begin to consider the needs of their mother and Beth suggests that they use their money to buy something for Marmee instead for themselves. The idea appeals to the girls and they consider what gifts they might get for their mother and plan a little Christmas basket and surprise for her.
Each gives up something dear to herself in order to give a gift to Marmee. Jo gives up a new book, Meg gives up some pretty frills, Beth gives up some music, and Amy gives up some drawing pencils so that they can buy stuff to suit Marmee.
Giving to Those in Need
On Christmas morning, the girls are prepared to give their mother the gifts they bought for her when she comes in and makes an announcement before they begin to eat. Marmee shares the story of a poverty stricken family and asks if her children are willing to share their own breakfast. Once again the girls pause briefly as their dreams of a delicious Christmas breakfast fade and then once again sacrifice their own wants to the needs of others.
Shy Beth volunteers to carry the food, Amy gives up her favorite treat of cream and muffins, Meg gathers together the pancakes and bread, and Jo rejoices in the fact that the opportunity came before they had sat down to eat.
Sacrificial Giving
In both instances, the March girls give up what they want to meet the needs of others and they are satisfied. Meg remarks as they sit down to bread and milk for breakfast. “That’s loving our neighbor better than ourselves, and I like it.” Later the girls were able to surprise their mother with their small gifts and as the narrator notes, “There was a good deal of laughing and kissing and explaining in the simple, loving fashion which makes these home-festivals so pleasant at the time, [and] so sweet to remember long afterward.”
Changing the Modern Mindset
Modern readers often consider the scenes described by Louisa May Alcott as unrealistic and not truly representing the way people think and act. Perhaps the view that the story is unrealistic should not serve as a reason to dismiss it but rather as a challenge to today’s consumer driven Christmas celebrant. Perhaps it would be worthwhile for those who dismiss the story to attempt their own bit of self-sacrifice.
Most who read these stories today do not find it necessary to give up their own self-indulgent purchases in order to have money buy something for the ones they love. However, perhaps rather than sleeping in on Christmas morning, the pessimist could get out of bed and straighten up the house and make coffee for others in the household by way of making little gifts of self-sacrifice for those they love.
Maybe before gathering around the Christmas feast, the modern consumer could spend a few hours working at the soup kitchen meeting the needs of others before eating until they belch. Perhaps if today’s readers examine their lives for opportunity and follow the example of the March girls they too will find something to enjoy in loving others better than themselves just as Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth did.
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