Even The Poor Can Celebrate Christmas

Christmas is celebrated differently to different people in different ways. Backgrounds, beliefs, and values play a role in how we celebrate Christmas, but another factor is income. It is often said Christmas has become too commercial, and this celebration of the birth of Jesus is more about spending money and buying things, than a special family time to enjoy each other.

When we focus on the birth of Jesus Christ, and we stop to think about what that means to us Christians – for that matter, even non-Christian cannot help but admit that the birth of Jesus has had a very powerful impact on history – we will realise that Christmas is not about how much money we spend on a gift or fighting for the best bargain or on competing for the best decorations! Christian families, especially those who have a very limited income, may  very well be celebrating the true meaning of Christmas.  When spending and overspending is absolutely not an option, you might think this would be a very stressful time of year, but Christians who are well aware of their financial limitations may have less stress than others. These families often times, have found the true spirit of Christmas and celebrate Christmas the way it was meant to be celebrated!

Our Bible stories tell us the wise men gave gifts to Jesus to celebrate his birth, and that is why we give. Giving can be done in so many ways, and it seems we have forgotten that.  Possibly the thing we need to be giving most is our time and our love.  As simple as they may seem, these gifts are free, but yet priceless and can have the greatest impact on the lives of others.  Families of all backgrounds are constantly in a rush, and our hectic schedules keep us from connecting and sharing in each other’s lives. Even on Christmas day we find ourselves rushing through the traditions of opening gifts, eating a big meal, and retreating for a nap or to entertain ourselves with our new technology and toys.

As times have changed, unfortunately so have family traditions of Christmas caroling, helping the less fortunate, and sharing our time. We spend a month shopping and overspending, and don’t consider for a moment how much we spend on the material to wrap the presents or on gifts that are not really needed for that matter!  Paper, bows, decorative bags, and ribbons just to cover the gift up until the unveiling! We are a society getting more and more used to excess, in a very unstable economy.

Debt is a huge stress factor in many families, and the more the debt oftentimes the more problems within the family unit. The joy of Christmas might be very short if in the back of our minds is the credit card bills that will be coming soon, and the other bills that have to be paid despite our poor spending judgment.

So when thinking about how we view this very special time of year, maybe we should think about what we spend of gift wrap….for the greatest gift was wrapped in cloth and lay in a manger!