Now that we have passed the Thanksgiving Holiday and entered this "Holy Season" one starts to think about just what is so Holy anymore about Christmas? Many do not even want Christians to celebrate it anymore. It is in my opinion gotten past the point of obscene to the point that if you say Merry Christmas someone is likely to correct you because you may be offending someone?
Now one cannot deny that there are many who recognize Christmas as the day we celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. Many go to church on the special day, even though they don't go the rest of the year and many could care less about church. In fact more now then in the past. One wonders if those who do go attend for the social activities that follow, a time to wear your new clothes or jewelry, or perhaps show off your new gifts? Perhaps it is that we somehow feel guilty we don't go all year and feel motivated to go then, especially midnight services. It seems "the thing" to do. Is that by ritual or social obligation or perhaps historical or even habit that we do this?
Of course there is the obscene spending on gifts by those who have and regretfully even by those who don't, in some mad dash to purchase and own and to give whatever is the hottest, newest, most expensive, or bling thing that everyone just must own to be accepted. Of course the kids need every toy they ask for and even some they don't ask for. It must be the way we express love these days? If you don't have you are poor and I don't want to be friends with you type thing.
Now what is the message of current Christmas? One would think this is the season of love. Yet, behind it all the advertisement, ads, marketing implies spend, spend and spend. Black, this and the day after all words we associate with Christmas. It is as if we already know that we will return for that 50% off, or big discount on the 26th . The Associated press just reported today that "Malls Are Jammed" with one shopper quoted as saying "I'm losing my job this year because my company is moving to Mexico" and she is there looking for bargains and taking advantage of those discounts. How much advantage will she have when that bill comes due in January?
So, in my opinion only in the very truest of believers homes will the celebration be for what it was intended, the remembrance of the birthday of the Prince of Peace. A simple act of prayer, remembrance, of sharing with each other a meal and perhaps a symbolic exchange of love and a small gift symbolic of the Wise men who brought gifts to Jesus. Unfortunately, the word of this decade, that symbolic exchange has been stolen in my opinion by the covetousness of this world. The celbration will be more of counting gifts, size and cost and yes, the Bling!
So we like fools rush out to buy for this one and that one and for them. We must get a gift for so and so and don't forget he or she and it now becomes and expense, a drudgery, an obligation that a simple Merry Christmas no longer suffices. It is also an expense that for some will last years and years.
Now those credit card issuers and others who offer the helping hand of what I call indentured slavery and indebtedness will be there to give us incentive to use your card and charge.
Yes, the same ones who will unleash the dogs when you fail to pay. Yes , the same ones making obscene profits and money over our indebtedness and foolishness.
Yes, the same ones who will take all you own while reaping every single tax break or incentive our politicians will give them.
Yes, and even those politicians who dare call themselves Christians while shaking the same hands of well known business leaders and these credit card sharks and supping with them at their table.
Yes, they know who they are and they know there will be no rock they can crawl under when the day of reckoning comes. But we who spend like fools, who rush out and buy because we want to feel better and to give our families what we can't all year, to see a little joy on that day we share, remember this we also have a day of reckoning. The bills do come due and the dogs will prowl and they leave no scraps!
I too know those temptations. Yet, it is time, like the dieter trying to lose weight that eats all the wrong foods and then complains, to wake up and recognize we do ourselves and those we love more harm by piling on debt. A debt we may not be able to payback and a debt that could cost they and us the very worst harm?
So if you care you must be wise. If you must buy do it within your means and not over it. Buy what is practical and useful. But what others could use and not waste, or give them that which helps them have a really joyous Christmas. But above all, remember it is not how much is under that tree, it is what is in your heart and what portion of your heart you have shared with others and your God.
It is a day of peace, prayer and humbleness and love, a real love that can only be obtained when we put aside this worlds allure and worship our God and celebrate His birth as members of His Family celebrate the birth of all within our family.
Robert T. Melaccio Sr. Copyright 2007 Robert T Melaccio Sr.
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