If you watch TV or listen to the radio, you could be fooled I into believing that Christmas is THE happiest time of the year what with family get togethers, an abundance of food and more money spent on gift giving than wages earnt.
Advertising and the desire to please play a huge part in motivating us to get our wallets out and spend up big, but if you actually stand in the aisles at some of the bigger department stores and listen to the conversational exchanges going on, you may be surprised.
Many a time, I've heard the mutterings of people who have absolutely no idea what to buy someone and as their bewilderment is verbalised, the frustration in their voices is audible. Its pretty sad to think that someone is going to receive a gift with that sentiment attached to it, and this happens all the time. The lead up to Christmas is pretty much a buying frenzy.
We live in an age where 'we' have everything, all the time, not just at Christmas time. I remember when I was a child, ( yeh, yeh, I can hear the groans!) Christmas was the time of the year that we waited for to receive those special treats, that were just that, treats. Although my parents both worked, we weren't lavished with gifts and expensive toys all year through, and hence when Christmas rolled around, we were bursting with excitement to see what was going to be under the tree, generally 4-5 special things including something my Dad had made. Even the food we traditionally thought of as Christmas food, is now as everyday occurrence.
This issue isn't exclusive to children, with adults these days spending hundreds of dollars on gifts for each other as well.
Before I say anymore, I will just make it clear that this is my personal opinion and I know I will have some opposition and that's ok.
One of my concerns about this, and I have many, is what happens on December 26th, when the last of the discarded and crumpled up Christmas paper is gathered up and there's a battle on to find room for the new gifts that have been accumulated. The fridge is overflowing with leftovers, the kids are too often already bored with half of the things they've received (they certainly wont remember who gave them which gift) and the majority of the grown ups are wishing for New Year to roll around so they can make the long awaited changes to their lifestyle such as a new weight loss program or changes to their budgeting plans. I'm sorry but I just find it sad.
In January, as the credit cards bills or the depleted bank balance become a reality, for many, depression hits. Over spending comes back to bite and the work it will take to replenish the depleted funds will last well beyond many of the things they paid for, a fact which can be verified by the stats that are released every year on the dollar value of the credit card debt that is racked up at this time of the year.
Please understand that I'm not anti Christmas. There's nothing I love more than spending time with my family at this special time of the year sharing a meal and giving and receiving gifts, I just think the true meaning is now completely lost by most and is almost totally in the hands of the retailers as they guilt us into showing our love by the dollar value of a gift.
I do hope this is food for thought for someone out there as we begin a month of craziness in the lead up to Christmas day, a time that should be reserved for quality family memory building and for remembering what this celebration is truly about.
Advertising and the desire to please play a huge part in motivating us to get our wallets out and spend up big, but if you actually stand in the aisles at some of the bigger department stores and listen to the conversational exchanges going on, you may be surprised.
Many a time, I've heard the mutterings of people who have absolutely no idea what to buy someone and as their bewilderment is verbalised, the frustration in their voices is audible. Its pretty sad to think that someone is going to receive a gift with that sentiment attached to it, and this happens all the time. The lead up to Christmas is pretty much a buying frenzy.We live in an age where 'we' have everything, all the time, not just at Christmas time. I remember when I was a child, ( yeh, yeh, I can hear the groans!) Christmas was the time of the year that we waited for to receive those special treats, that were just that, treats. Although my parents both worked, we weren't lavished with gifts and expensive toys all year through, and hence when Christmas rolled around, we were bursting with excitement to see what was going to be under the tree, generally 4-5 special things including something my Dad had made. Even the food we traditionally thought of as Christmas food, is now as everyday occurrence.
This issue isn't exclusive to children, with adults these days spending hundreds of dollars on gifts for each other as well.
Before I say anymore, I will just make it clear that this is my personal opinion and I know I will have some opposition and that's ok.
One of my concerns about this, and I have many, is what happens on December 26th, when the last of the discarded and crumpled up Christmas paper is gathered up and there's a battle on to find room for the new gifts that have been accumulated. The fridge is overflowing with leftovers, the kids are too often already bored with half of the things they've received (they certainly wont remember who gave them which gift) and the majority of the grown ups are wishing for New Year to roll around so they can make the long awaited changes to their lifestyle such as a new weight loss program or changes to their budgeting plans. I'm sorry but I just find it sad.
Please understand that I'm not anti Christmas. There's nothing I love more than spending time with my family at this special time of the year sharing a meal and giving and receiving gifts, I just think the true meaning is now completely lost by most and is almost totally in the hands of the retailers as they guilt us into showing our love by the dollar value of a gift.
I do hope this is food for thought for someone out there as we begin a month of craziness in the lead up to Christmas day, a time that should be reserved for quality family memory building and for remembering what this celebration is truly about.
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