... Means a Little Bit More ...

"Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."
--The Grinch

This quote seems to be quite lost in our culture right now. In a society that's obsessed with material possessions and the latest, greatest gadget, it's hard not to get swallowed up by the fervor. After all, don't your kids "deserve the best" of what's out there? (I wish that weren't a direct quote from someone I know.) Heck, don't YOU deserve the best?? That's the message we're bombarded with day after day in advertising. I can't count how many things I'm told I deserve by marketing ... whether it's a new BMW or a better haircut or free gambling at a casino. (Just *how* these businesses determine I deserve their product would be interesting to find out ... my leading theory is that because I have a pulse.) How often do we REALLY stop to consider the meaning of Christmas, and the meaning of our actions and attitude toward the holiday? I mean, how many of us *sincerely* celebrate the birth of Christ? I'll be the first to admit that too many times the way I have celebrated the day named after Christ doesn't in the least bit reflect Christ's values. How did celebrating a day dedicated to the most selfless Giver that ever existed turn into a time swarmed with material goods for your loved ones, feasting to the point of gluttony, debt that will take months (if not years) to pay off, all encompassed by an overriding attitude of doing good to those who have done good to you?? Seems odd. Yet, that's exactly how we usually celebrate it. Sure, we sometimes empty our pocket change into the bell-ringing person's bucket as we walk into a store - but isn't it usually just to avoid feeling guilty as we walk past them? I mean, if we were really dedicated to giving to charity, wouldn't it be part of our life, and not just an after thought as we walk into a store?

I hope you don't think I'm coming down hard on you. After all, the fact that these thoughts are coming out of my head should say that I recognize this deficit in myself. I am a recovering materialist at Christmas. We are continuing to make strides that get us farther away from the INSANITY of the season. Did you read about the macing, mugging and shooting that happened on Black Friday??? Nothing says, "Happy birthday, Jesus!" like shooting a stranger over some stupid gift. Maybe it's time we all evaluate how far we're willing to go away from the original intent of the holy-day, and how we can learn to give God the glory during this season ... and every season. Just some food for thought.