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INTRODUCTION
Year after year the celebration of Christ's birth is crowded by the clatter of commercialism. When Santa comes to town, nothing is sacred.
Last year Americans spent over $32 billion on Christmas gifts for family and friends, thus honoring the American economy more than the one whose birthday it is.
For many, instead of being a season of joy and renewal, Christmas is a time of frustration, disappointment and embarrassment:
- frustration at finding that it is the advent of Santa Claus, rather than Jesus, that claims most attention and energy;
- disappointment at being so hurried and harried that the wish for it just to be over becomes overwhelming;
- embarrassment at being so pressured into buying things for family and friends who may have little need of them while so little attention is given to those whose needs are great.
The irony is searing. As surely as the innkeeper relegates the Christ child to the stable, we relegate the meaning of Christ's birth, the work he gave his life for and the people he came to serve, to the very bottom of our Christmas lists.
Most of us would like for things to be different, and they can be. This resource is designed to help you and the other members of your household remember whose birthday it really is.
What You Can Do
DECIDE THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. Just think of all the times when only a few people made a critical difference in the life of a church, a community, or even a nation. Deciding that change is important is the first and most fundamental step in using this resource.
FIND OTHERS WHO SHARE YOUR CONCERNS. Share this booklet with a few friends and discuss your concerns. You will probably run into a few people who are uninterested, or even opposed, but you will also find those who are just waiting for someone to lead them. Get those who are interested together as soon as possible: THE DEADLINE FOR ORDERING HOUSEHOLD BOOKLETS IS SEPTEMBER 15TH!
BE PERSISTENT. Foot-dragging occurs whenever a committee is formed. When presented with a new, perhaps controversial idea, committees have been known to talk it to death. Be patient and understanding in dealing with doubts and fears that are expressed. Don't be self righteous, but be persistent!
AS A GROUP PROVIDE HOUSEHOLD RESOURCES FOR EVERYONE IN YOUR PARISH. Unless the patterns of Christmas preparation are changed in the household, significant change elsewhere is unlikely.
The struggle over the commercialization of Christmas is won or lost in the home. This society's popular cultural values pour into our living rooms and children's minds, especially through the medium of television. Unless there are efforts in the household to counter this flood of propaganda, mass culture is sure to win.
The Household Section of this booklet offers positive and creative activities to counter social pressures. Look through the Household Section (pp. 1-16) and see if you think it is important enough to make available to the individuals and families in your parish.
You may decide to purchase enough for all of your parish's households, or you may want to offer them for sale, at cost, to interested families. However you choose to do it, make them available. (See page 17 for ordering instructions.)
ORGANIZE AN ADULT STUDY OF THE ADVENT TEXTS during the four weeks of Advent. Professor Brueggemann's reflections and questions in "Getting Ready for God" probe these familiar texts to uncover what they say about our Christmas preparations. Make sure that each member of your group has a copy of the study. Although you may make your own copies, this piece is available in quantity from Alternatives. (See page 16.)
ENCOURAGE GIVING A "BIRTHDAY GIFT". Invite persons to set aside an amount equal to 25% of what they spent on last year's Christmas and give it as a "birthday present" to those in need.
You may want to suggest that this money be set aside daily or weekly and placed in a container on the table where the family eats. Encourage participants to make their "birthday presents" include more than money, such as year-long commitments of time and skill to ministries aiding those in need.
WARNING: This is not a fund-raising scheme, nor is it a glorified "Christmas Basket" approach to dealing with poverty. It is a way for individuals and families to honor the one whose birth we are celebrating by diverting money and time that they would otherwise spend on themselves and friends.
INVOLVE THE CHILDREN. Although they may be the family members most susceptible to society's commercialized Christmas propaganda, children can be an important part of the household's resistance. Children understand what birthdays are supposed to be, so taking Christmas seriously as Jesus' birthday is an approach they can grasp. In addition, the open-mindedness of most children can often influence adults who may be a bit jaded and cynical.
Nearly all of the resources in the Household Section can involve children. Encourage children to participate in the Advent services. Set aside time for the household activities and share the word game activities with them. You may want to read "Good-bye Santa, Hello St. Nicholas" with older children.
PROVIDE OTHER RESOURCES. At SimpleLivingWorks.org you will find a list of additional resources for needs you may have. As you make your plans for Advent and Christmas look at these resources for help.
DON'T STOP WITH CHRISTMAS. If Christmas is near, Easter can't be far behind. Bunnies and baskets will soon fill the shelves so recently vacated by Santa Claus. The significance of the death and resurrection of Christ is often overshadowed by colored eggs and new finery. Begin now to think about the changes you can make during Lent and Easter. Refer to the Easter resources in Alternatives "Who's Risen from the Dead, Anyway?" archives or Lent/East section of Alternatives' catalog.
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Page updated 22 October 2012
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