I don’t know about you, but whenever I see ridiculously over-commercialized advertisements around this time of year I silently fume. Okay, sometimes it’s not silent…. But you see them all the time, toting “The biggest Christmas Sales!” or “Get in the spirit of the season….with this STILL overpriced lawnmower!” or my personal favorite, the “Jingle Balls” commercial from Kmart….really?
It just pisses me off when people put way more stock into the presents and the money and the stuff than anything else. And yes, I’m a religious person, I do believe the focus should be on God (since that’s LITERALLY the reason for the season) but even if you have no faith, make time for family! Make someone a homemade card instead of buying them stupid gloves they won’t even like. Give the money you would have spent on an overpriced electronic device that your 8 year old doesn’t need to the homeless who just want a warm meal. Do something that MATTERS.
I caught myself earlier this week complaining to my mom about all the gifts I have to buy…and then I realized how awful I sounded. There’s nothing wrong with giving people gifts, but if the only reason you do is because you feel like you HAVE to or because it’s Christmas and that’s just what people do, then you’ve got it all wrong. You’re not giving anything meaningful. I am SO excited to give my family gifts because I love to see them smile, and make them happy with something they really wanted. And I try to remember to thank God for the best gift I have and will ever receive, my life. I read somewhere an awesome quote that I really really really like a lot: “A candle loses no light when lighting others.” I think a lot of times, gift giving becomes a chore. Like, because I bought this picture frame for you, I can’t have something I want now, ugh. But a gift given out of love is a gift to ourselves, too.
I think the true spirit of Christmas is love and gratitude. Not lawnmowers and half naked men shaking their junk to festive music. Like, what?
katwards 