Some borders are meant to be crossed. Here’s a good way to cross one we should all try, but locally.

I’ve often thought it’d be neat to visit the Holy Land for Christmas.

But then, maybe seeing the “actual” site of the Nativity might take some of the joyous mystery from the whole event. I mean, who determined the exact place where Jesus was born, anyway? Did archeologists unearth an ancient sign reading “Bethlehem Inn: No Vacancy Except for Stable” on the site?

A fundamentalist former colleague used to get terribly antsy over the holidays. “Christmas is a pagan holiday!” Charles would declare. “It’s based on an old Roman festival!” My office, which looked like someone (OK, me) had exploded a Christmas bomb in it, made him uneasy.

Still, I agreed with him that December 25 is an arbitrary date, and certainly Jesus wasn’t born exactly 2,007 years ago. In fact, astronomers at one point determined that Jesus was probably born around 35 B.C. based on the likely position of the North Star over Bethlehem. Historians suspect he was probably born in April or May because that’s when shepherds in the Middle East keep watch o’er their flocks by night as the ewes lamb.

But, I pointed out to Charles, we humans need for some definites in the nebulous realm of faith, and so created a date to celebrate one of the most momentous births in the history of mankind.

And what better way to lure those pagan, multiple-god-worshiping Romans to our side than to usurp their Saturnal holiday for our observance of the Messiah’s birth.
This somewhat placated Charles. He could at least stop by my office and admire my shimmering aluminum tree with less angst. (Mom purchased that heirloom during a late ‘60s lapse of taste. That would also explain the rust-red carpet and burnt orange colored drapes in the living room.)

But back to visiting the Holy Land: A pilgrimage to the birthplace of Christianity, for many, fosters an even stronger connection to their religion, and further satisfies the human desire for something “real” to identify with faith’s intangibles.

But with airfare as high as the Middle East’s political uncertainty, making a more local pilgrimage for Christmas makes a lot of sense from an economic as well as safety standpoint, and still yields similarly rich spiritual rewards.

Dogwood Acres, the 500-acre Christian summer camp and retreat center in Vernon (operated by the Presbytery of Florida), annually presents a heartwarming, inspiring Christmas nativity program.

“Christmas at Dogwood,” held nightly from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7 and 8, begins with a welcome at the camp entrance pavilion. Then it’s off to Grandma’s house to hear the Christmas story, thence to begin your own, personal pilgrimage to “Bethlehem.”

As you follow the luminaria-lined path through the peaceful, still woodlands, you’ll encounter personalities from the Christmas story along the way. At the first campfire, Mary puzzles over the news that she will soon bear a child. Nearby Joseph anguishes over what his betrothed’s unexpected pregnancy means.

At the next fire, shepherds discuss wondrous news just announced by angelic heralds. A wily King Herod also lurks along your path, seeking any news of the newborn king who, he’s warned, will dethrone him.

The pilgrimage concludes at the manger in Bethlehem, but the evening is far from over. Music, snacks, and beverages — hot and cold — await at Dogwood’s congenial dining hall, where a fire blazes on the giant hearth.

This time of year it’s hard to avoid the frenzy of overcrowded stores that have been hawking Christmas décor since Labor Day. Christmas pop has been on the radio since mid-November. Visions of hard-to-please gift recipients and impending visits from ornery relatives dance in your head.

But it is still possible to relax, regroup and rediscover the true meaning of Christmas.

It’s waiting in a manger at Dogwood Acres, just over an hour’s drive from Crestview.

CHRISTMAS AT DOGWOOD:
Fri. & Sat., Dec. 7 & 8, 5:30-9 p.m.; free admission, parking and refreshments (donations are welcome), call local organizer Tracy Curenton for information or to volunteer, (850) 652-4162
DIRECTIONS: Take I-10 east to exit 112 (Bonifay). Bear right and follow signs to Vernon. Follow County Road 79 south into Vernon.
In Vernon, at the 2nd blinking light, turn left onto Country Road 279 (a.k.a. Moss Hill Road). Go about 4 miles; the Dogwood Acres entrance is on the left.

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