At this time of year it is common to talk about how we need to put the “Christ Back in Christmas” and remind people that “Jesus Is the Reason For the Season.” At Christmas there is always this sense that we go overboard with materialistic things, and make it too much about the “Stuff” and not about the “Savior.”
And while that can in some sense be true, I think such sentiments are largely malarkey.
Today’s podcast episode is all about making Christmas as big of a celebration as we possibly can, and to remove your guilt for indulging in extravagance at this time of year.
Christmas Is A Festival, Not Fast
Yes, Jesus is the reason for the season, and we should make the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords our central focus. But that’s true 365 days a year, not just at Christmas.
Christmas is special. Christmas is a festival that we celebrate to remember the birth of a Jesus, and to look forward to His second coming.
And, at the heart of any festival should be some degree of extravagance and over the top pageantry. Such is the nature of festivals and celebrations. These are not times for us to fast, but to feast. And, if we try to turn Christmas into a merely “spiritual“ celebration, we risk divorcing the material world from the spiritual, and entering into a sort of gnostic heresy.
Go Big For Christmas (Within Reason)
That’s not to say we should go broke or be fiscally irresponsible at Christmas. Don’t do stupid stuff like paying for Christmas on your credit cards. Be responsible and do it with cash, and plan for it ahead of time.
And if you are poor and can’t afford a very lavish Christmas, look for creative ways to turn your little into much. Buy things incrementally over the years to make your Christmas celebrations larger, and make your food extra special by simply adding some fresh herbs and ingridients, and include as many people as you possibly can in whatever it is you do to celebrate Christmas. A little goes a long way. Such just requires a little creativity.
In the end, I don’t worry too much about materialistic over consumption at Christmas. It’s the other 11 months out of the year I worry about our lifestyles.
That’s where most of us do the real damage. Instead of living frugally and modestly, we live large and in charge most of the year. We only worry about such at Christmas because that’s when our year long extravagant living hits us the hardest, and I think we feel the guilt the most this time of year, because we realize that most of our lives are lived in crass materialism, and that we don’t live as simply as we should, and such ultimately robs us of the joy we could otherwise have at this time of year.
Recommended Christmas Movie
Prior Christmas Podcast Episodes
- Christmas In July (Saving Money) – Episode #15
- 9 Reasons I “HATE” Christmas Festivities Before Thanksgiving – Episode #33
- Celebrating Christmas Before Thanksgiving – Episode #35
Decking Out For Christmas At The Humphrey Home
Here’s a brief slide show of some of the cool things we do at Christmas to decorate. This year was scaled back a wee bit since I broke my leg and couldn’t climb a ladder to hang lights. But we still put on a good show for us and the neighbors.
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