Just before Thanksgiving Break, I had my students do a writing assignment about their favorite holiday. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that every one of them chose Christmas, and when asked why, every one answered, "Presents!"
All of this seems to speak directly to the state of our culture. Call it generosity, call it "the spirit of giving," call it "the joy of the season," or whatever else you want. I'll call it what it is: greed.
Let me be clear: I'm not saying that everyone who gives or receives gifts on Christmas is greedy or wrong. I am saying that our society has gotten out of hand. This "living for what's next" mentality makes us forget the gifts right in front of our faces. The irony of counting our blessings on Thanksgiving and then going out mere hours later to fill our closets and homes with more things we don't need blows my mind. And yet, it makes sense. Nothing causes me to devalue my possessions like a trip to the mall. All of a sudden, my nice clothes aren't cute enough, our TV isn't big enough, and our house really needs that mirror or chair.
Growing up, my family never celebrated Christmas. I hated it at the time, and I still don't agree with all of the reasons my parents chose for not doing it, but I now see the value in their choice. The true joy of the season has gotten muddled in the mass card-sending, wild shopping sprees, expensive decorations, and Santa. (I include myself in all of those things, by the way.) We wolf down our turkey and dressing, it seems, and then (or possibly before then), we are quickly on to "better" things.
Back to my students and their writing assignment... They couldn't believe that my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. "Why?!" they asked. "It's boring, and you don't get anything cool." Why do I love Thanksgiving so much? I guess because it's simple. For me, there is so much joy in sitting around a table, eating good food, and laughing about pleasant memories. No strings attached.
I'm not saying that I know what the solution to the Christmas situation is. All I know is that it bothers me.
Maybe I'm a Scrooge. But when I think of how much I have, how much I don't need, and all of the other nonessentials tied into this holiday that has potential for being so beautiful, I also think of people around the world who are just hoping for a meal on Christmas Day. And then I wonder if just maybe, they have more going for them. Here in America, our bank accounts are bulging (although significantly less so after the holidays), our bellies are satiated, and our homes are overflowing with "stuff". So often, though, materialism leaves our hearts empty, and the quest for more never satisfies.
One of the thing we started doing is going to church on Christmas Day. This helped us as a family remember what Christmas is about. I'd recommend it. You should consider Trinity Lutheran which is close to you. If you go on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day it will make a little more sense. It's very very traditional and liturgical and quiet and strange and weird and good and important.
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