'Twas the week after Christmas and all through my head not a bon bon was sounding, not even a sled...
Can I tell you why I really can't do Christmas anymore?
Firstly, I still love the meaning and spirit of the season. I think the idea of peace and goodwill to all is a profound and empowering one. I certainly believe it is appropriate and vital Christians remember the birth of Jesus. Sure it might jot be historically accurate to celebrate the 25th December as that day but no one seems to be able to offer an alternative with any certainty so I'm comfortable to acknowledge his birth on that day without feeling compelled to recognise it as the actual day. For heavens sake even the Queen's birthday holiday is not on her actual birthday so...
So what have I got against Christmas? No I'm not a Grinch, Scrooge or misery guts. It's just become too much and too removed from the meaning of the season for me to really want to be involved.
Here's the way I see it. We really now have a festival of presents, purchases, gluttony and guilt, tinged with or flavored by expectations, mostly realistic and nearly always painful. And to top it all off people who have no religion or faith based on the story of Jesus are clinging onto Christmas as though it is theirs to own and celebrate. Frankly the hypocrisy stuns me and then they'll even go off to a Carols service and sing away to God, the Angels and 'Oh Holy Night' - give me a break. And let's not start on taking a day off from work to commemorate the birth of the son of God! What's that about?
We consume huge amounts of food, because we have huge amounts of food served up to us and we waste huge amounts of food because we buy, grow, cook and/or put it in front of ourselves. What is it about Christmas that promotes gluttony and waste? Can I have the relevant passage in the Bible puhleassse?
Gifts become an obligation rather than a joy, with some even being 'equally apportioned' - if I give one kid $50 I have to give everyone $50. Frankly I have all I need, I don't need anymore gizmos, I'm not even sure I need the ones I have. My not smart phone does things I have no desire to use nor will my world fall apart if it I use none of it except the phone. In fact I would not be substantially affected if that stopped, there are phones at work, pay phones around and I have a landline. Oh and those payphones cost 40 or 50 cents a pop - don't think about the plan you are on and how much those 'free calls' you get actually cost. But hey that's probably too hard and we just can't be bothered anymore and it is all about 'now'. That must be why the phone or gizmo we buy today at some inflated price will be replaced within a year and we could buy the same model at a third of the price but n o we'll again be conned into paying full whack for our new one.
What if I just say 'no more' to gifts, well look out for the guilt! How can I deprive friends or family from giving me a present? But am I certain the presents I get are heartfelt or given from a sense of obligation - because it's Christmas. I am grateful for the kindness of the gesture when I get a gift but why should anyone feel they have to give me something? This consumerism and festival of gift giving only really dove into madness since the second world war so it is not a 'tradition' by any means. I see ads on tele for a $500 barbecue or a $1200 TV system and I despair at the connection with Christmas apart from the gift giving. If I give a $10 gift card I immediately wonder if that is 'enough' and I wonder why...how is the price linked to the gesture? Is filling my cupboards with 'stuff' or being obliged to contribute to a Kris Kringle really adding to the sum of human experience and the goodwill to all?
No, not everything has to have a meaning and a purpose in life or always be for the betterment of humanity. BUT if one time ought - wouldn't it be Christmas?
So next year I and many others will again gorge at a table of excess, smile at people we really tire of really quickly, swap presents we really didn't 'need' to buy and stop to think about those who have a lot less and will continue to...and then it's off to bed children.
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