Christmas Distorted

How did such a wonderful celebration get hijacked?

Christmas is only. To celebrate the birth of Christ.

It has, for a long time, become a commercial venture. A tragic one, negatively affecting thousands of people.

My sons texted me and asked, what did I want for Christmas? I looked up from the television commercial about mattress covers I was watching. I said, “A mattress cover would be fine.” Not realizing it was a very expensive item.

I did not need one. My bed was perfectly comfortable. Quickly, I came up with something inexpensive. It would cost a few dollars. I texted them, “Please do not buy the mattress cover, it’s too expensive for a Christmas present. Just give me the minor item I mentioned.”

My sons already agreed to split the expense. Now I have an expensive mattress cover coming to my bed. “Merry Christmas, Dad.”

Everyone is scratching for money to buy presents. The crooks are busy tapping credit cards for funds They nicked my account for small amounts until I bought protection.

Honest people are looking for money, too. They are running ads in the local newspapers offering minor items they can dispense with.

There is a long list of items for sale in my local paper. Showing items such as 45 RPM record collections, girls’ jeans, home décor, ceramics, Romance novels, men’s shirts, a Christmas tree stand and a prom dress.

Anything that will bring a little extra money. I counted 37 items for sale in a column in my paper. This hunting and scraping goes on every Christmas shopping season.

I remember as a small child in the Depression there was a modest business of bronzing baby shoes. Salespeople would go from house to house and pick up baby shoes to be bronzed; charging a $5 fee. To the parents, it sounded like a good Christmas present.

Then the scammers came into the business. They too went from door to door taking the baby shoes and the $5. Later the scammers threw the baby shoes into trash cans. The parents never received the bronzed baby shoes, and they lost their money.

There was a World War Two combat veteran who faced a poor Christmas because of his low-paying job. He took money from the company coffers, spent on Christmas presents for his two young daughters.

Unrealistic, he thought he could pay it back after Christmas. He could not. Totally embarrassed and desperate, he wanted to get away from it all. Knowing no answer to his dilemma, he blew out his brains.

This man left his heartbroken woman alone to raise the two children by herself.

Christmas shopping in our world is ingrained. Businesses count on it, everyone expects it. It will never go away.

How do we return to the original purpose of Christmas? The churches preach it and the congregations all nod in approval.

Then they go out and Christmas shop.

As individuals, we may stick to the original purpose, but it would require complete, stern agreement within the household.