13 December 2012
Is it good to have a Christmas spirit in this age of commercialism? Where for some children, despite being naughty will get what they want anyway. Where Christmas is no longer the time of year for giving rather than receiving. Where kids get get get all year round anyway; where, if every other kid is getting it then its ok? Or am I being a Scrooge, a bah humbug to Christmas. Maybe, perhaps its because I asked a child just a little younger than my eldest today what they wanted for Christmas- the answer? An iPad!! What does a seven year old need their own iPad for?
Or perhaps mummy and daddykins just have too much money, and so why shouldn't they treat the kids to iPads, quad bikes or citibreaks. Mmmm, well I can probably think of lots of reasons, daddy's little princess comes to mind, spoiled, lack of appreciation, never understanding the word no, living in lala land. But hey, I'm old fashioned and thankfully my monster has very little on his letter to Father Christmas and he asked for things for his little sister instead of him. I know -Awwwww.
But, with shops full of Christmas in September/October are we Xmased out by December, when we should be embracing the season to be jolly? Bah humbug to commercialism, its taking the magic out of Christmas.
And.... without seeming to preach, are we lost in the buy, buy, buy, that we are forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? What this Christian festival is all about. The birth if Christ. We watch nativities now with bumble bees and chickens, (don't recall them in Bethlehem), at my sons school they can buy and wrap presents for parents- I thought the elves did that! Christmas is now a festival to the gods of money rather than religion.
But casting religion to the side for a moment, phew, some of you may say, Christmas is a time to be with family, friends, loved ones; play and have fun together (although parents should be doing this anyway), to love, to give, to receive and be thankful for what we have; be charitable to those who don't. Is there any meaning really left in Christmas? Are the non religious amongst us being hypocritical by taking part in the festival or does it have a place in modern society, still with a message to love and give?
I shall leave you to ponder the following quote from A Christmas Carol, said by the main man himself, Scrooge:
"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach."
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It's Good To........have a Christmas Spirit • Opuss № I