Monday, November 17, 2008

Consumer Christmas pt 1.

Every year Brooke and I have a discussion about Christmas and it's meaning. And every year I think that somehow I am missing "it". We as Americans, as Christian Americans, have lost the real meaning of His, Jesus', birth. You know? And of course I know part of this season is about family and community...but there is more. It's more than gifts, trees, food, family and friends. We as Americans are the richest people in the history of the world and what do we do? We obsess over what we don’t have!

There is a counterfeit "christmas" story that culture is telling us: when we get what we want, we will be satisfied, Happy. This lie pervades our marriages, families, neighbors, friends & local churches.

Hang with me for a moment...
Last year during the holidays, as we celebrated our Messiah's birth, Americans spent a record 154 billion dollars(this is a conservative number). That is roughly $795.86 per person. Every year we spend 18 billion dollars on make up; 15 billion dollars on perfume; 17 billion dollars on pet food...and the list goes on.

To be continued...
Check out this video.

3 comments:

Dawn Blay-Smith said...

Ya know Ken and I were just talking about this because we decided that we were telling the kids about Santa this year. I mean they know the real meaning of Christmas but this year we are telling them the true story of Santa and we have decided to change our focus on Christmas this year.

karen said...

Thanks for posting this. I've been watching Advent Conspiracy for a couple of months... and just listened to their podcasts today. I love hearing the stories of how people are changed as a result of something like this and it wasn't just "an event last Christmas" but how giving and loving have become a lifestyle. I want to live that way.

I've been feeling this way for several years... that Christmas has just gotten out of hand and I long to do something different, to bring back the worship. The problem is that I keep thinking about how I need to change other people's attitudes about it. Uh oh.. where's that mirror? Oh yeah - have to change me first. I'm getting there.

~The Harrison Family~ said...

That's a cool video. I personally love Christmas. I love to give (and I don't mean that in a conceited way) and I love how it brings families together. Of course we don't need "Christmas" to bring families together but for some that's just the way it is and it's cool to have the opportunity with those who aren't saved in our families to be a light. I do think it can get out of hand but that's our own choice if we allow it too and if we let it become something it shouldn't be. We all know we can't change people nor is it our job to try...I think it's about our motives and our hearts....is it about "us" and what "we" can get or about others and giving? Thanks for sharing the video...