I have begun to wonder who really likes Christmas. I read all these articles about how stressful the holiday is and how to survive the holiday and I really wonder why do we do this to ourselves every year?
If Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year why are there so many articles written on how to survive the holiday season and why do the hospital psychiatric wards put on extra staff to deal with the crisis a lot of people find themselves in?
Practicing Christians they will tell you that to not celebrate this holiday is to ignore the wondrous birth of Christ. However, biblical scholars all agree that the date of Christs birth remains a mystery and even if this was Christ's birthday would He really want us to celebrate it with the incredible consumerism and greed that this holiday has become? I think not!
I know that most people would say that this holiday is for children, but what are we teaching our children?
Do we really teach them to share with the children of families who do not have much by getting them to give a donation to a charity or collect food for the food banks, but then go out and buy extravagant gifts in large numbers for our children and load the Christmas dinner table with more food than many children will have in six months to eat? What have we taught them when we fill our stomachs to the bursting point and in many households end up throwing out large amounts of uneaten food?
This year I have had to struggle to get through everything. Not feeling well has kept me from doing some of the things I really like and made shopping a misery so I have cut back on everything. I find myself feeling guilty about this and then questioning why I feel that way. After all if this season is about giving and caring shouldn't that include caring for myself as well?
So I come back to my original question - Who really likes Christmas? Maybe some of you can answer that question for me.
If Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year why are there so many articles written on how to survive the holiday season and why do the hospital psychiatric wards put on extra staff to deal with the crisis a lot of people find themselves in?
Practicing Christians they will tell you that to not celebrate this holiday is to ignore the wondrous birth of Christ. However, biblical scholars all agree that the date of Christs birth remains a mystery and even if this was Christ's birthday would He really want us to celebrate it with the incredible consumerism and greed that this holiday has become? I think not!
I know that most people would say that this holiday is for children, but what are we teaching our children?
Do we really teach them to share with the children of families who do not have much by getting them to give a donation to a charity or collect food for the food banks, but then go out and buy extravagant gifts in large numbers for our children and load the Christmas dinner table with more food than many children will have in six months to eat? What have we taught them when we fill our stomachs to the bursting point and in many households end up throwing out large amounts of uneaten food?
This year I have had to struggle to get through everything. Not feeling well has kept me from doing some of the things I really like and made shopping a misery so I have cut back on everything. I find myself feeling guilty about this and then questioning why I feel that way. After all if this season is about giving and caring shouldn't that include caring for myself as well?
So I come back to my original question - Who really likes Christmas? Maybe some of you can answer that question for me.
The problem is not Christmas. The problem is how people choose to deal with it. If they make themselves miserable with present buying and trying to do the impossible to please everyone, that's up to them.
ReplyDeleteI agree there is social pressure to go down that road but such pressure can be resisted.
I used to dislike Christmas but now I enjoy it. That is because I have removed the pressures. I have told family there will be no presents and not to buy me any. We don't have to meet at Christmas - we can see one another any time.
Tigger and I will enjoy the holiday together doing things we enjoy. Consequently, it will be a happy time with no sign of stress.
The Holly And The Ivy and the
ReplyDeleteringing of the tills.
The paying with the merry credit cards;
dread anticipation of bills.
Must have, must buy,
Can’t stop, can’t blink.
Christmas has gone mad,
What would Jesus think?
Or, perhaps, more in keeping
What would Jesus drink?
The end of one of my 'poems'!!
xx
I have to say -I've never found this time of year stressful. I really don't do a lot. When my mother organized Christmas she loved it. She rarely got stressed. Now, it's my sister and niece who do all the big preparations - but again - they never talk about being stressed.
ReplyDeleteBut our family is very laid back. We all show up for xmas in our comfy clothes, nothing fancy. No big expectations. We're secular too, so nothing religious to our celebrations.
I dunno - I think people put crazy expectations on themselves and then forget to have fun.
Relax & enjoy! :)
Oh yeah - an no gifts. That's just crazy. 1 or 2 gifts for the kids and that's it.
ReplyDeleteSilver Tiger - I am sure that you can resist that pressure now that you are probably as long in the tooth as I am :) However, it is not easy for younger people who have parents and grandparents pushing them to give thier kids the same kind of Christmas that they had. Ultimately we end up creating a whole new generation that aspires to do more and give more at Christmas it seems.
ReplyDeleteFrances -we both know what Jesus would drink a very large bottle of wine!! Merry HO HO
Drowsey-monkey Sensible as always - I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas