Christmas is a special time of year where people gather with
their loved ones.
However, I know for many people - many families in Scotland - it
has been a challenging year. And as we come together over the
festive period, the cost of living will be on many people's
minds.
There are also many people for whom this time of year is
particularly difficult.
The colleagues and neighbours experiencing loneliness, illness or
grief are all around us.
People suffering from homelessness, addiction or abuse.
So I am particularly grateful to those of you who are looking out
for others.
You know who you are.
You are the warm volunteers at foodbanks and shelters.
You're the gentle voices, staffing helplines.
You're the health and emergency workers keeping us safe.
You are our armed forces both here and overseas.
And you are the drivers, the shop workers, the engineers,
ensuring we're fed and we're kept warm.
I'm also grateful for the happiness brought to us by our
musicians, our artists, our creative communities.
The passing of John Byrne recently reminds us of the artists who
weave joy into our national fabric.
In good times, yes, but particularly in hard times - from the
hospital radio host, to the local pantomime troupes, to choirs
and brass bands on our high streets.
At this time of year, I'd like to thank every single one of you
for brightening our communities and for raising our spirits.
Finally, I'm grateful to Scotland's Makar Kathleen Jamie, our
national poet, for curating the people of Scotland's address to
world leaders at a time when we're all concerned about the state
of the world and the future.
We are witnessing unimaginable horrors taking place in the very
region of Christ's birth.
My prayer this Christmas is for peace and an immediate ceasefire
in Gaza.
So we see the end of the killing of innocent civilians.
I was particularly struck by the following line in the Makar’s
poem – ‘one act of kindness from each of us would be enough’.
So whether you have little or much to give others this Christmas,
let's remember every kind word, every kind act makes a
difference.
So to all of those in Scotland who are celebrating Christmas and
to our Christian community, in particular, a very Merry Christmas
to you all.
