One of my biggest pet peeves is when people freak out over Christmas starting in October. I understand the hype, people get excited about the Christmas music, the sugar cookies, the gifts, and the long awaited time with friends and family. However, it is incredibly frustrating when people go from Halloween to Christmas, without giving a second thought about Thanksgiving. I don't necessarily love the historical event that Thanksgiving came from; however, I believe the message is important. We live in a consumer-based society, so stores are opening Thursday evenings for everyone to get their best deals. Red price tags and "Black Friday" seem to be the only thing on our minds. I hear of families planning out their shopping trips over dinner when they are supposed to be enjoying what they have now.
There are so many movies out there about the "true meaning of Christmas" whether that is from the Christian perspective or the secular view of loving one another. Yet, we still find ourselves swept up in the superficial Christmas, where fuzzy socks and new iPhones are our focus. As human beings, we are incredibly forgetful of messages that are constantly being fed to us. I see loads of tweets every day of people complaining of family dinner during the holidays. I become enraged because it is the moments with family that is one of the most important parts of Christmas.
My suggestion is the cool off on the swelling superficial Christmas. I urge families to go simple during the holiday season and focus on what this is all about. Enjoy the time you have with your parents, because one day they won't be around and you will wish you can have another conversation with them. Volunteer at your local soup kitchen, be thankful for what you have. Give more than you receive, but don't get swept up in the price tag of it all.
