Wal-Mart worker trampled to death by frenzied Black Friday shoppers
is the headline. Wow. Is that what Christmas has become? Is this what the holiday spirit is all about? Reading this made me really, really sad.I enjoy a lot of things about Christmas but I am really struggling with this. I am desperately trying to teach Elijah not to buy into the lie that Christmas is all about getting, what is Santa going to bring, he wants this $70 dinosaur toy that he saw at Target, etc, etc. All of these things are fun and everything, but if you ask him what Christmas is all about, he'll tell you that it's about Jesus' birthday. So simple and yet I know he doesn't fully understand it all and of course still talks about Santa and toys and stockings, but I hope that one day he will truly get it. I am doing several service type projects with him this year to try to get the message through his head that it's more fun to give than to receive. So far he is really enjoying it and already talking about who he can give his old toys to and who might need his shoes that have gotten too small. And I'm not saying that it's wrong to have Santa a part of Christmas, that's up to you and what feels right for your family. Elijah talks about Santa but we don't encourage it and make it a big deal. When he gets all excited about Santa, we tell him that's for fun but the real reason is Jesus.
What is it going to take to get that message through to the majority of America, majority of the world for that matter? Christmas is no longer fun when it's an obligation to give and to give big. It's not that I don't want to give gifts to people - of course I love that - what I hate is the obligation one day of the year and buying something because you have to, even if you were desperately trying to find anything, absolutely anything, that they will like or don't already own. I refuse to let that be what Christmas is about in my household. I would love to hear any traditions you have in your family that keep Jesus as the center of it all.
Every year I feel the pressure of decorating my house, making Christmas cards, putting lights on the house, visiting Santa at the mall, decorating my blog (ha!) and participating in every Christmas activity I can. I enjoy some of these things but the pressure is there nonetheless and I do them because a lot of times I feel that if I don't then I'm a scrooge or people will think we're weird(oh no! :-) In a world full of materialism and acquiring the next big thing, what can we do to turn that around? There has to be a balance between enjoying Christmas traditions/keeping Jesus as the focus/helping those that are in need, that I have yet to find.
I recommend What Would Jesus Buy that we watched last year. Humorous but a very good message at Christmastime.
5 comments:
I know exactly what you mean when you talk about the obligation of Christmas. Last year I decided that I would make Christmas gifts for my family. Unfortunately, I was just learning to sew and didn't have a lot of time, so all I could come up with were coasters! I kept going back and forth between "this isn't enough" and "it's the thought that counts". But in the end, I really enjoyed making the gifts and thinking about my family as I worked on them.
This year, I'm making gifts again, but they're a bit more elaborate than coasters. Brian and I have also made a donation to a Christian organization in Africa that gives a goat to families in need. Generally, the recipient is a baby whose mother has died or who is infected with HIV/AIDS and needs to wean the baby quickly. Both of our families will receive a goat tree ornament to remind them of this gift and I've incorporated something with goats or Africa in the gifts for my nieces.
A few days after we made a donation to the program in Africa, I learned that a missionary work my parents' church supports also has a goat program. So even though this isn't the program I supported, if you're interested in something like this, here is the link: Body & Soul. Compassion International, World Vision, and Oxfam International all have similar programs.
What a great idea - I'm going to look into this. We sponsor a child through Compassion International so I may look there. What I want to know is where you find a goat ornament? :-)
Good post, Summer! It is way too easy to get caught up in Santa and presents. Thanks for the reminder to be diligent about teaching Jackson the true meaning of the holiday!
And I am shocked about the newspaper headline. How ridiculous!
Hey Summer! I got the sock monkey costume from Crazy 8 (www.crazy8.com). It is owned by the same parent company as Gymboree, but I believe the store is relatively new. Hope you can get yourself a sock monkey costume! They should be on sale by now.
Great post - the same thoughts have been running through my head as well. How to keep Jesus at the center when the world is screaming the opposite message everywhere we go? But I feel like as long as we're trying then we're on the right track - and it sounds Elijah already "gets it" if he's talking about who he can give his toys to! That's a hard one for our little ones - at least mine anyway! You're doing such a great job with your little men!!
Miss you! :-)
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