Spreading Holiday Cheer…NOT

If you love everything Christmas, this might not be a post you want to read. I understand, if you just click away from here while I have my vent.

*Disclaimer…if you are still here reading, keep in mind, that these are just my personal feelings. I do NOT think I am better than those of you that love Christmas.

Christmas is my least favorite time of year. Before anyone wigs out on me about not liking all these holidays, let me just make it clear that it’s not that I don’t celebrate the birth of Christ. I do. It doesn’t mean that I am against having fun & celebrating. It doesn’t mean that I am against gift giving and all things red, green and white.

It just happens that Christmas red & green are my least favorite colors and I don’t really care for most Christmas music and I like Christmas sweaters even less. I actually don’t like a lot of the Christmas baked goods but I like enough of the other stuff to make me not like the extra pounds.

And I could say it’s because I have a hard time, with my children and grandchildren being far away and not able to come home. Bottom line is, I miss them and there is no way around it.

But, it’s really not these things that make me not like it.

What it comes down to is this…I don’t like the commercialism that rules from October until January. Even before Halloween, Christmas decorations are out. The commercials on TV are pushing to buy, buy, buy!!!! I heard Christmas music playing in Walmart before Halloween for goodness sakes. Are you flippin kidding me? We ran into the mall a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving and already the mall Santa and Mrs. Clause had a long line of children waiting to see them. Thanksgiving barely gets recognized, and we are blasted into red, green and white.

I don’t like this big fat crazy whirlwind of commercialism. The pressure on the stores to sell. The push to buy. The bigger the better. The pressure to spend money we don’t really have or money we should be saving. Pressure we put on ourselves or let others put on us. The push for all of this to come earlier and earlier. It used to be that Santa didn’t come out until after Thanksgiving.  The focus used to be on family and friends and each person getting a gift or two.

Not anymore.

I want. I want. I want. I want. I want. The selfishness that is bred to want more and more…and bigger…to expect more and more and bigger.

Where does it stop? 

I know I sound like a poop on the fun parade. I know it’s fun to give. Hell, I love to give presents, so it’s not about that. The thing is, most of us that are going to be getting gifts already have too much stuff already.Most of us, will buy things for those that already have too much stuff.  

Christmas is suppose to be about “peace and goodwill towards men” and about joy and caring and spreading the holiday cheer.

For many of us, it’s suppose to be celebrating the birth of Christ.

When I am out and about in the stores, I don’t see the spreading of peace and goodwill towards men. I don’t see all that much joy. And I certainly don’t see a whole lot of holiday cheer being spread.  I surely don’t see Christ in the pushing and shoving.

Instead, I see sadness. I see confusion. I see rudeness. I see meanness.  I see anger. I see lots and lots of selfishness. I see people pushing each other and hear of people getting hurt, fighting over a toy or some sale item. I see a lot of overwhelmed people that  don’t want to be there, spending money they don’t really have but don’t have a clue how to step off this crazy train.

I personally think, this must make Jesus sad.

While shopping for household things the other day, I over heard a woman scream humiliations at her husband. I listened to people talk loud and rudely on their cell phones. I witnessed parents trying to get out of control kids to behave. I watched an elderly couple get pushed out of line.  The worst was over hearing  a younger mom tell her friend that they wouldn’t be having Christmas because they have no money. Hearing the defeat and sadness in her voice broke my heart. I watch all these things while listening to Christmas music playing in the background.

And yes, I think this make Jesus sad.

It is hard for me to get into the spirit of Christmas joy when I see so much sadness and brokenness around me.

I know those that barely make it without the added expense of buying presents. I know those going without and I know their desperate prayers for these holidays to pass quickly so that it will be all over. These people know that they will have disappointed children come Christmas morning. And then there are those that have completely given up.

I know those that are physically sick and hurting and are feeling so discouraged that they are wanting to give up living. I know someone that is in fear of losing her business because she has been out of work, hurt, due to a car accident. She fears losing her livelihood. 

I know someone going through a divorce from the love of her life of over 14 years because he left her for a girlfriend. Who now has to work 2 jobs in order to keep her house and feed her 2 sons. The only reason they have a tree is because they already had one. She cannot buy any gifts and she feels horrible about this.

I know someone that lost her father a couple of months ago and her grief is overwhelming.

I know 3 people that have lost their long time family pets and are grieving  their loss and now one more that has a dog with cancer and cannot afford to do everything needed for her.

I know people that have lost jobs and can’t find another. I know people that are losing their homes because they can’t afford them due to divorce, a job loss or their health.

I know people that are lonely and suffering from depression and they just want to talk.

Such sadness. And this is just the people I know. I know there are so many others, even worse off. It’s hard to be joyful about Christmas when all of this surrounds me.

It’s hard to be happy about a birthday party when everyone’s not invited.

In trying to not let all of this get to me and take away all that is good…because believe me, there is good out there too….I am focusing on what I can do right now, with what I have.

I want our little people to grow up learning about the true meaning of Christmas but I don’t want them growing up with a total scrooge for a mom either.

In order to have balance and create some peace and joy during this season, I am vowing to avoid the stores as much as possible…to not spend money we really don’t have…to pray more and complain about Christmas less…to focus on what we do have instead of on what we don’t have… to do as many “acts” of kindness as possible…and to notice these acts from others.

I want us to have fun but not at the expense of someone else. I want the little ones to know the joy of giving. I want their memories to be of fun family times…whether it be decorating the tree and sitting in the dark looking at the lights lit up, or talking about Jesus' birthday and Santa, … turning on the lights outside each night…watching Christmas programs while cuddling together…going for a drive and eating popcorn while looking at the lights at night…making cookies and special crafts…playing in the snow…and playing secret Santa to someone in need…and yes, even singing Christmas songs with the little people…lol.

I am trying not be like him…

Or him…

Really I’m not!!!!

LOL

Love & Hugs, Lori