I must ask myself as well as all of you out there reading this, why must we compare how much we spend during the Christmas season? Not only do we feel the need to compare decorations and gifts amongst each other but also, how much money we spend each year. When did the main focus of Christmas become money?
Sure, Scrooge-like shoppers means bad news for Christmas retailers however, with the economy, it’s been bad news for all retailers. What happened to the days when Christmas meant drinking hot chocolate in front of the fire, skating and decorating the tree with your family? Why is it that we see children bumming after receiving clothes as a gift in addition to making fun of holiday songs? The purpose of the celebration is to recognize the birth of Jesus Christ, our saviour. When I was younger, Christmas meant singing songs while my aunt played the guitar, helping grandma in the kitchen and seeing family members I hadn’t seen in a while. I don’t remember which presents I received or whether the house looked fancy, I just remember feeling loved. Now I look around to see people are stressing about how to satisfy their loved ones, how much money to spend and whether they will have enough or not.
If those close to our hearts really love us, it won’t matter what we bought them for Christmas, it’s the thought that counts. We all need to rethink the priority of this celebration. No one wants to spend it stressing over something foolish. Love should be our main focus, that and being kind as well as generous to those in need. We should all come together to make a difference and help everyone else remember the spirit of Christmas.