Balancing the Christmas Message with Materialism
For Christians, Christmas is the time we celebrate the birth of Jesus. The Christ Mass honors God’s Son who was born of a virgin and sent to us to open the way to God and begin a new covenant with our Lord. No one knows the exact day Christ was actually born, but Christians celebrate his birth on December 25, a date that was a pagan celebration and chosen by a monk for the Christ Mass to provide an alternative to the pagan ritual. The season is a time of love and redemption, recognizing the miracle God gave us.
And beginning in October, sometimes earlier, we are bombarded with store advertisements, pressures to buy the perfect gift, find the greatest tree, hang the brightest lights in the neighborhood, and give until our bank accounts are empty and credit cards maxed out. How can Christians preserve the sanctity of the season in the midst of the “gimme” season?
For my family, we have set spending limits. And I don’t mean $200 per person. I’m talking like $30 per couple. We buy for our children, but even that has limits. They can choose to receive one expensive ($100 or so) or several small gifts. We do not ship cards to every person we have ever met. We do not buy gifts for people outside of the family. My son makes a card for his teachers, and if I am in a really good mood, I might bake cookies or brownies for very close friends. That’s it. I refuse to be swept up in the marketing madness that encompasses every industry from greeting cards to automobiles. Christmas is a time for family, for communing with God, for recognizing the miracle of Jesus, and for loving each other with a spirit that can never be matched by material possessions.
Others have shared with me how they preserve the true Christian message of Christmas in the midst of the materialism.
Sandra at Parenting Under the Stars discusses how she and her family concentrate on making memories together.
Allison at BCS Frenzy points out that giving to charities during the Christmas season means much more to people in need than a present for people you don’t even like.
The Baglady has provided a list of charities, reminding us that “you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”
If you have a story of how you and your family balance the Christmas message with materialism, leave a comment and tell me about it.
christian, Christmas, Christmas shopping, Jesus’ birth, charities, blog carnival
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