Christmas season is rapidly approaching, as evident in the mass of Christmas-themed consumer goods that have been present in department stores since early November. There are signs of Christmas everywhere – on one’s favorite television programs, on the radio, on the internet, and on the Christmas lights aesthetically draped across the roofs of neighbors’ houses. In fact, large corporations seem to be barraging us with Christmas, screaming “Buy! Buy! Buy!” The majority of us worry constantly over gifts to impress our superiors and friends, some of whom we don’t care much for – we’re only doing so out of social obligations. However, in the midst of all that Christmas fuss, the true purpose of Christmas is often lost on us.
It’s easy to become enchanted by this false Christmas mystique. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that the true magic of the holiday lies in its ability to draw together family members separated by many waters, to bring friends together in celebration, and to spur sentimental consumers on to be that much more generous to the odd beggar. Granted, this cheesy, feel-good message has probably been drilled into all of us numerous times in primary school – give to give, rather than to give to receive – but how many of us have actually taken it to heart? In essence, we’ve become twenty-first century variants on nineteenth century Scrooges; we’ve drowned ourselves in our selfish desires and lost sight of the ones truly important to us.
This December, as we’re out getting smothered in “Christmas cheer” and becoming overwhelmed by all the “lowest prices of the season”, let us cease to become chained by selfish, commercialized social obligations and take into consideration our loved ones.
Would taking advantage of the lowest prices of the year in the name of our loved ones count?