White Wine in the Sun

White Wine in the Sun by Tim Minchin is one of my new favorite Christmas songs.  It might seem strange considering he’s an atheist, but an atheist who gets “it” and knows it’s all about love.  But the tune, melody and image gets to the heart of the feelings I often have around the holidays, especially as I get older and more sentimental and nostalgic.

It’s a song about the human longing for reconnection with those who have died and gone on before us.  It’s a song about remembrance and the hope of reconnection with those we have loved and lost.  It’s a song of longing, hoping and wishing.  In short, it’s a song about faith, hope and love.  Faith that all shall be well.  Hope for reunion.  And a heartfelt expression of love.

And when he sings about his sweet blue eyed baby girl I feel the emotions in my heart.  I think about the time I will no longer be here but I will be “there”, just as they have all gone on to there – wherever and whatever “there” is.  But I believe in there.  And there’s a waiting in between, a longing, a heartache for reconnection, for reunion and at least for remembrance.  Hope of a grand, joyous reunion that one day may be just like sitting on a beach at sunset joyfully reminiscing again with old friends about all the adventures we’ve had and how it feels so good to be together again, laughing and enjoying one another’s company more deeply than we ever had before.

Maybe it’s wishful thinking.  But I think wishful thinking is a part of faith and hope as well.

And isn’t it telling and symbolic – the image of wine and basking in the sun (or the son)?  Hints, symbols and metaphors?!  And all kinds of verses come into my heard:  The the light shines int he darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.  The light that enlightens everyone has come into the world. Even the darkness will not be dark to you O God; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.  And finally from that “advent waiting book” called revelation: And there will be no night there–no need for lamps or sun–for the Lord God will shine on them.  So, Yes!  May it be so!  And Amen brother Tim!

LYRICS:

I really like Christmas
It’s sentimental, I know, but I just really like it
I am hardly religious
I’d rather break bread with Dawkins than Desmond Tutu
To be honest

And yes, I have all of the usual objections
To consumerism, the commercialisation of an ancient religion
To the westernisation of a dead Palestinian
Press-ganged into selling Playstations and beer
But I still really like it

I’m looking forward to Christmas
Though I’m not expecting a visit from Jesus
I’ll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun

I don’t go in for ancient wisdom
I don’t believe just ’cause ideas are tenacious it means they’re worthy

I get freaked out by churches
Some of the hymns that they sing have nice chords
But the lyrics are dodgy

And yes, I have all of the usual objections
To the mis-education of children who, in tax-exempt institutions
Are taught to externalise blame
And to feel ashamed and to judge things as plain right and wrong
But I quite like the songs

I’m not expecting big presents
The old combination of socks, jocks and chocolate’s is just fine by me

‘Cause I’ll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun
I’ll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun

And you, my baby girl
My jetlagged infant daughter
You’ll be handed round the room
Like a puppy at a primary school
And you won’t understand
But you will learn someday
That wherever you are and whatever you face
These are the people who’ll make you feel safe in this world
My sweet blue-eyed girl

And if my baby girl
When you’re twenty-one or thirty-one
And Christmas comes around
And you find yourself nine thousand miles from home
You’ll know what ever comes
Your brothers and sisters and me and your mum
Will be waiting for you in the sun

When Christmas comes
Your brothers and sisters, your aunts and your uncles
Your grandparents, cousins and me and your mum
We’ll be waiting for you in the sun
Drinking white wine in the sun
Darling, whenever you come
We’ll be waiting for you in the sun
Drinking white wine in the sun
Waiting for you in the sun
Darling, when Christmas comes
We’ll be waiting for you in the sun
Waiting

I really like Christmas
It’s sentimental, I know