![]() ![]() ![]() I personally like the fact that a huge proportion of cultures and religions have a winter festival. Not that that means a lot of money has to be spent on them or anything, of course! Anyway, for me, one of the biggest ones is gift giving, so giving and receiving gifts is incredibly important to me. It’s interesting what you say about gifts, because to me they’re actually really important! Have you ever come across ‘love languages’? The theory is basically that different people have different ways of expressing love – so for some people it’s saying loving things, for others it’s physical contact, or giving time, or spending time with the person. Finally, let’s bring joy and hope to those who find this time of year difficult. However, rather than stress out about food preparations and gifts to give loved ones and friends this holiday season, let’s think about the true meaning of Christmas, and cherish those we love. Of course, I am not against shopping, as I do a share bit of that myself. These are just some of the harmful aspects of commercialization. More people would be less materialistic and put more time in to help the hurting and needy, and spend more time with those who matter most to them. However, if the true meaning and the more spiritual aspects of Christmas were emphasized more, the joy and the hope that Christmas has to offer would be able to be realized by even society’s marginalized! The privileged in this society would give to those who are more marginalized because they would know and understand that everyone deserves joy and peace this Christmas, not just themselves. Imagine seeing your friends being able to afford fancy jewelry for their loved ones, and you would like to give one of them to your mom who is sick or dying, but not having enough to buy it. People that are marginalized are left out of the celebration when the holidays become commercialized.-Because of all the emphasis this time of year on gift giving, people who are struggling financially or in other ways, are often left out of being able to participate in this aspect.Now, I am in no way against people cooking good food and having elaborate meals to celebrate Christmas and other December holidays, but sometimes they get so stressed during the preparation of the meal that they are unable to enjoy themselves or their loved ones, a lot like Martha in the Bible who was trying to prepare an elaborate meal for Jesus and the other guests there without taking the time to get to know him or anyone else there. Also, a lot of people buy and cook elaborate meals for this holiday. Some people also stress out about how much they can afford (more on that later) and how much they should or shouldn’t give a particular person. They think if they don’t give just the right gift the receiver will not only be disappointed come Christmas, but also may think less of them (the giver). A lot of people, because we have created a society of entitlement and materialism, stress out about what gifts to give others. It creates more stress than is necessary.-Besides missing the point of the true meaning of Christmas, it creates a lot more stress than is needed for this time of year.The word Christmas even contains “Christ” in it! We are supposed to remember the founder of Christmas-Jesus, not just see if we can get the best gifts or give the flashiest and most elegant gifts. ![]() Commercialization can make us so affixed to the gift aspects of Christmas, that we completely miss the real point of Christmas-celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and what He means to us. Commercialization is very superficial in this aspect. It misses the point.-Christmas is primarily not about the gifts we receive from loved ones, but commercialization makes Christmas only about the material things we give and receive.Here is why I believe the commercialization of Christmas is harmful to the holiday and to us: One of the major reasons why people may be disillusioned is reflected in the results of a Pew Research poll*, where 33% of those surveyed dislike the commercialization of Christmas, and I agree with the 33%. Though Christmas and the holiday season are supposed to be joyous times, many people become stressed and even disillusioned. For still others, it means getting people the best gifts ever. For others, it may mean spending more time with family and other loved ones. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I want to know, what does Christmas mean to you? What do you think it is supposed to mean? For many, it means celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and all He represents. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |