On Narnia, Christmas and a Great Big Teapot
By Aaron Bair
As I was starting to research and outline for my book, A Joyful Outpost—a book focusing on the household economy of the anthropomorphic beavers from Narnia—one of the first scenes that had me coming back again and again was the one where Father Christmas pays the heroes a timely visit on their way to see Aslan.[1] As we are only days away from another Christmas, I thought it to be appropriate to share some wise application that Lewis gives us in this scene.
To set the stage, the Beavers and the Pevensies are trying to reach Aslan’s camp before they are overtaken by the White Witch. And yet, when Father Christmas pays them a visit and bestows all those iconic gifts upon them, he also gives them a “great big teapot”[2] to enjoy well after he leaves. It is, honestly, a perplexing scene. Our heroes are essentially being hunted, and yet they put their circumstances to the side to enjoy a cup (or cups, given the size of the teapot) of English Breakfast.
The White Witch, conversely, is raging as she begins to realize that her powers are dwindling and her bit of sorcery is breaking down. Indeed, she is so furious that she even hurts herself by biting her lips, blemishing her pale face with a drop of blood. It is no coincidence that as the enchanted snow melts, the Witch’s deep unrest floods to the surface.
During this Christmas season, I would submit to you two perspectives that we could have:
Joyful rest coupled with a fierce refusal to let the busyness of the season dominate us.
Hitchhiking with the White Witch on her sledge, allowing her fury and unrest to consume us.
Christmas, ultimately, is about the arrival of true peace and rest, not because of any sort of good works on our part or appealing aesthetics, but because of a person. The Prince of Peace is the very source of our rest, and that is why the heroes in The Lion were able to enjoy tea time without fear. They understood that the spell had been
broken, and their part in breaking the spell was by resting in that truth.
But that is not to say that we can’t be easily swallowed up in the Witch’s chaos. I would be the first one to admit that there have been times where the “horrid commercial racket”[3] has ensnared me, rendering me unable to enjoy the great gifts set before me. Thankfully, the King is gracious and kind. Ultimately though, our call during this season is to drink deeply and fully from the piping hot teapot we’ve been graciously given. May we do that with joy in our hearts and sticky marmalade rolls in our bellies.
Aaron Bair is a husband, father, teacher, and avid Kansas City sports fan. He lives in Salt Lake City, UT with his family. You can follow his writing at AaronBair.com. His new book, A Joyful Outpost: Exploring the Household Economy of the Beavers from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is now available!
[1] The chapter is entitled Tea Time in the book.
[2] Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, (England: HarperCollins, 2015) p. 101
[3] Lewis, C.S. Letters to an American Lady (29 December 1958), p. 180