Thanksgiving is over, and before we can even catch our breath…. behold- Christmas.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not out to bash Christmas entireley!
But, the older I get, the more insane it’s all seeming…
We all grew up with the WWJD rave (I will shamelessly confess to having bracelets which i color cordinated to my outfits in jr. high school… what can i say? i was THAT cool). I can’t help but wonder though- what would Jesus do during the Christmas season?
I have a hard time picturing him waking up with the sunrise, lacing up his sneakers, and heading over to the mall to beat the rest of the Black Friday crowd wracking up his credit card debt buying things for people that they don’t really need.
I am finding it quite difficult to imagine him gaining ten extra pounds on pie, turkey, candy, and sweet potatoes while he knows that there are people starving and cold down the street.
And for some reason, the thought of him making his own Christmas list is just absurd.
I bet he’d skip the mall scene… tune out the commercials… give love, not objects… yah, that picture seems to fit.
Is it wrong to give people gifts? I don’t necessarily think so, but I like what the folks at buynothingchristmas.org suggested:
We are all going to have to buy some things. When you do buy things, we encourage you to remember principles like buying locally, fairly-traded, environmentally friendly packaging, recycling or re-using, buying things that last, and so on. The main aim is not to save money (although that can be a side benefit), it’s not to slow down the pace of Christmas (although that can be a side benefit), it is to challenge our over-consumptive lifestyle and how it affects global disparities and the earth. So, even though you might buy a few things at Christmas, it’s important to think in these global economic terms.
I’ve been re-thinking alot of things, and Christmas is one of them. If this struck a chord with you at all, here are some alternatives you may be interested in!
- Why not buy a gift in someone’s name that will keep on giving? this is the route I’m taking this year,and I am so excited about it!! Check out the gift catalog here at World Vision and buy a family in need clothes, or a goat, or malaria protection. How seriously cool is that?
- Ok, this is cool if you are in highschool/ college. Why not set up a little gift exchange where you all bring nice things that you have that you no longer use/ need, and exchange? It could be cool
- Instead of spending money on each other, get all of your friends to pool their money together and prepare a meal for a family in need, or the homeless in your community.
- Write a poem, tell a story, draw a picture or take a photograph and present it in a creative way.
- Give fairly traded coffee, tea or chocolate, get beautiful items at garage sales or buy gifts from shops that support local or international artisans in poorer countries.
- When someone asks what you want this year, and they persist on getting you something, ask that they donate whatever they would have spent on you to a charity instead. do some research and pick one that your heart responds to. Come one, do you really need another sweater?
Am I there yet? Do I have it all figured out? no… still working on it, and I know I’ve got a long way to go… I just don’t think He meant for it to be like this. I’d love to hear your feedback, and even ideas.
(this was inspired by buynothingchristmas.org and an annoyance with my television.)
