No one can deny that as Americans we live in a materialistic world. It’s human nature always to want the next best thing, whether it is the next upcoming Urban Decay eyeshadow palette or the newest iPhone, but boasting about the material things you have on social media is not only annoying, but it’s borderline trashy.
Christmas is a time of thankfulness and giving; it’s not about who can get the best gifts or show off how much money you or your family has. We are a blessed generation, but some people take pride in how spoiled rotten they are.
Most people have the common sense not to post their brand new 60-inch television on Facebook for fear that it might get stolen, but that shouldn’t be the only reason.
It should be basic common courtesy not to boast about the things you have when there are people genuinely struggling to put food on the table for their family.
There are plenty of ways you can share your Christmas celebration on Facebook without posting all of the things you got or what you got your children.Brag about the excellent meal you'll be eating, brag about your family and the good times you have with them, but in any situation never brag about things; especially online.
You shouldn’t make a child feel like less of a person because of their family’s financial situation. That is something that the child can’t help, yet they’ll feel the effects of it if you or your children are on Snapchat, Instagram, or Facebook bragging about all of the things they got for Christmas this year.
Once we grow up, we eventually realize that these sorts of things don’t matter as much and most of us end up caring less about the opinions strangers.
Flashy people just irritate us more than make us feel bad, but when you’re in middle school or high school, it can shake you up when you feel like you can’t fit in.
I remember one time I was talking to a new friend about how I felt that I never would get that much for Christmas. I was complaining about how I might get about $100 worth of presents while my friends would brag about their thousands of dollars worth of gifts their parents got for them effortlessly.
My new friend then proceeded to tell me most years he got nothing for Christmas; his parents just never had the money.
I had never felt so horrible about the kind of person I was. I might not be as spoiled as the children with wealthy parents, but I was still spoiled and more than blessed.
I was probably making him feel bad, just like the other people who received what seemed like an unlimited amount of gifts made me feel at the time.
I realized I was somewhat materialistic myself, as most of us unknowingly are. That one conversation changed the way I thought about Christmas and made me realized how truly blessed I was.
Since then, even if I receive just one good gift, I am more than thankful for it, but never brag about it. There are plenty of people in this world who not only receive nothing but some who will spend the holidays on the streets.
I don’t have a child of my own, but I can imagine merely teaching them humility can go a long way. If they only want something just so other people can know that they have it, maybe they don’t want it for the right reasons.
To make a long story short: show some class this holiday season.
Merry Christmas.