Doing Christmas Differently

As I have said before, I am not a Christmas person at all. I'm trying to be, but it's not an easy process. I watch the movies, listen to the music, and go to the various parties. My house is decorated; my kids do all of the Christmas activities. Yet, I still have trouble getting into the spirit of Christmas.

It seems the older I get, the more I feel like Christmas loses its meaning. The holiday becomes more about spending money than anything else. More and more, I feel like Christmas is about companies squeezing every last dime out of consumers. I know, I know, I sound like a Grinch; but, dare I say, even the Grinch is being used to sell products. Everywhere I look, there is someone trying to sell me something Christmas-related as if there is no way that my Christmas will be complete without that one product.

This year, I'm trying to do things differently. This year, I'm still feeding, talking to, and providing whatever I can for the homeless in my community. Instead of spending a truckload of money on stuff, I donated a truckload of new toys to a church other than my own. I got some fancy handmade mugs as gifts for some of my family, but I got them by donating money to an organization that provides clean water in other countries. A local artist made them specifically for this purpose.

The season isn't over yet, but I feel like focusing on giving to others is the best decision I have made in a while. You can't go wrong investing in people. Eventually, the music will stop, the gifts will be put away, and the parties will end, but the memories will last a lifetime. Seeing a smile on the face of a homeless person, giving toys to children who may not receive anything else this year, and making Christmas about people instead of products is more important to me than having the latest must-have gift. I am also reminded that: while I do not have much, I still have a lot more than many others.

Ten days until Christmas, and I still have much to do. I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season. If you can, take some time to do something kind for a stranger. I can promise you: no matter how small the gesture may seem to you, it can make all the difference in the world to someone in need. Have a wonderful week everybody!

'Tis the season...already?

I've never been much of a Christmas person. I was when I was a kid, but numerous bad experiences over the years have turned me into a bit of a Scrooge. I know what you are thinking: a pastor who doesn't care for Christmas, is that possible? I like the meaning of it all, but I prefer to let the holiday pass me by if I can. Recently, I have been working on changing my perspective of the holiday season.

Up until a few years ago, I relied heavily on my Christmas ambassador. No joke, I have a friend that loves Christmas enough for the both of us. Whenever anyone would try to talk to me about anything Christmas related, I would refer them to my Christmas ambassador, who handles all of my Christmas dealings. My Christmas ambassador is still around, but I am putting a lot more effort into turning myself into an actual Christmas person. Needless to say, I'm still a work in progress in this area.

I just don't have that deep-rooted love of Christmas that a lot of people have. So, now about why I am writing this post. The way Christmas is becoming more and more commercialized makes it difficult for a person like me to get into the spirit of things. There was a time when I could count on the local radio station switching to Christmas music on or after Thanksgiving day. The lights go up around town around the same time, and stores put out all of their Christmas stuff.

This year, I saw Christmas stuff out before Halloween. I have been receiving ads for Black Friday for weeks now. To make matters even stranger, the local radio station that normally plays Christmas music around Thanksgiving started playing Christmas music today. This is crazy! When did we start celebrating Christmas so early? At this rate, in a few years we will be starting Christmas celebrations in the middle of summer, instead of December. The term "Winter Wonderland" will be a distant memory.

To each their own, I guess? I have friends that don't mind Christmas starting earlier and earlier. It might be just me, but I think when a holiday like Christmas becomes too commercialized the holiday loses meaning. If a holiday becomes meaningless, is there any need to continue to celebrate the holiday? You see my predicament? How am I supposed to get into the Christmas spirit when all of the wonderful things about the Christmas season is being stripped away so retailers can turn a profit?

I really want to be that adult that holds on to his inner child and celebrates Christmas joyfully. I want to be that person who learns the meaning of Christmas like the folks in the movies. I especially want to celebrate Christmas to the fullest like Clark Griswold or Elf for my children, but it sure is difficult. Anyway, enjoy your holiday season, my friends. Wish me luck, this could be the year I actually enjoy Christmas!