Christmas and Excess

Ah, Christmas. It's lovely. Snow, lights, bright stores where one could buy anything and everything they don't need to put under the tree in colorful packages to be opened in haste on Christmas morning just to be stuffed in a closet or giveaway box as soon as the thrill of this new thing has worn off. If you can't tell by now, I'm less and less thrilled about the way Christmas has been turned into a commercial holiday in the USA. It disgusts me and I want no part of it. We need nothing. Don't believe me? Check out the rest of the world. I promise you are not in need. In want, yes. But not in need. Christmas shouldn't be an excuse for excess and the enabling of selfish, hedonistic tendencies. Not even if you're buying things for others. The concept of excess isn't one that only applies if you're buying things for yourself. No. It's the entire notion that you're putting something where there is no clear and actual need for it. It's wasteful and it's looking only at ourselves.

John's family does name drawing at Christmas for the older family members. I love that. You get one gift for one person, receive one gift, and that's it. Kids are separate from the drawing, but they'd be just as happy with another cookie as a massive, shiny, new toy. I'd love to carry that practice over to my family, where gift giving is maybe over practiced, although I realize that it's how some people show affections.

I know that gift giving can bring great joy to both parties involved, but we must not remain so focused on ourselves. There are people in the world who actually are in need. Not want, need. And it is one of our main priorities as followers of Christ to put other people before us and to show them His love through our actions. This year, instead of buying gifts for your family that they might not even like or use, why don't you buy a goat and some chickens for a family in a third world country that provides food, income, and security? Really? Why not? What do you want that is more important than giving another family hope for the future and food for their children? Think about it. And when you're done thinking about it, go to the World Vision site and buy a goat for that family.