My Thoughts on Christmas
I'll start of by saying that I do enjoy Christmas. It's a cozy, beautiful time of the year. You get to spend time with family and friends, eat good food, do fun activities, see pretty lights, and open gifts.
But when I was 14 or 15, I started to question the things that we do during the holidays. Most people are stressed out trying to get everything done: buying and wrapping the prefect gifts; decorating and cleaning the house; making sure you got everything on the grocery list. People are putting themselves in debt and I can see how the anticlimax of Santa Clause affects some children. They have more stuff under the tree than they know what to do with. It's overwhelming.
After I started questioning Christmas, I lost the "holiday spirit". I haven't felt "Christmasy" in years.
I decided to vent about Christmas in this blog
1. The stresses of shopping
Now don't get me wrong, I go through the motions this time of year. I put up my tree and some decorations and buy gifts. But I have made many changes over the past couple of years.
The gifts that I give to my family are usually a package of baked goods that I made myself and a homemade card. I may add in a gift card and a bottle of wine or something of the sort.
Me and my boyfriend haven't exchanged Christmas gifts in years. The way I think of it is this: him and I would spend hours away from each other in a crowded mall buying things we don't really need or want. I told him I would rather take that money and put it towards something we can do together like a vacation. He felt the same way and that is what we have been doing.
I really don't understand people going overboard with gift giving. Everything is so accessible so most people don't need anything any more. It's unnecessary stress in my opinion.
2. Mindless consumerism
I also have an issue with Christmas becoming "trendy". Most of my Christmas decorations are old fashioned, belonging to my parents and grandparents. Earlier this month, I was tempted to buy new, in-style decorations. Then it occurred to me that next year there will be a new style, and the year after that another. I will never be able to keep up on with it. I got overwhelmed and realized that it's such a waste of money and the Earth's resources (supply and demand). I feel much happier using what I have. It's unique and there's a story behind many of my decorations.
As my boyfriend puts it, when did Christmas become a fashion statement?
3. Christmas is about giving
I was listening to My Grown Up Christmas List by Kelly Clarkson the other day and it also got me thinking. Most people will say Christmas is about giving... while they mindlessly consume. It just does't make sense to me. I honestly believe we tell ourselves these things to make us feel less guilty about all the gifts and food we are going to consume.
The reality is that we should be concerned about the less fortunate every day of the year. But most people don't do that much about, even during Christmas when we are reminded to do so.
4. Jesus is the reason for the season
I'm not a religious person and I do not prescribe to "forcing" my beliefs on people. With that being said, isn't Christmas about the birth of Christ? How does all this mindless consumerism fit in? I guess big companies and corporations see it as an opportunity to sell their stuff ; )
Seeing things for what they really are has the potential to consume you and make you miserable. It did to me in the past. Try not to let that happen to you. My advice? Celebrate Christmas the way you want to. Honestly. If that's spending time alone in prayer, meditation, or fasting, do it. If that's spending time with your family and gift giving, do that. If that's volunteering, helping, working, reading, writing, exercising, do that.
Have a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays!
Ang
