You may have heard the headlines having a fit over supply chain woes ruining Christmas. Or some version of retailers finding ways to ‘save’ Christmas.
I cry no! I am not discounting the fact that holiday sales are a big part of many businesses ability to be solvent, and our small businesses have had a lot of complicated challenges to navigate. However, when did having the right gift either make or ruin Christmas? Have we forgotten the lesson from the Grinch? From countless other stories of the season? That Christmas is secularly about community, peace, and caring for each other. Religiously Christmas is about celebrating the birth of the Christ, and we have a whole Advent season to get us ready to celebrate that rebirth in each of us as we remember to be more Christ-like.
Yes, it’s fun to give and receive gifts, but let’s not let those that profit off our ‘keeping up’ to tell us what Christmas is. What if you visited a craft show and challenged all the family members to buy gifts for each other for a set amount from those local artisans? What if you gave the gift of special memories with a membership or tickets to a museum, animal sanctuary, theatre performance, etc.? What if you gave the gift of learning with a class or membership they would enjoy? Donate to a worthy charity in someone’s name.
Maybe the spirit of Christmas community and being your best self inspires you to make a commitment to volunteer in your community or make regular visit dates with dear ones.
This Christmas, Let’s worry less about things being a certain way, and find the real joy and peace of Christmas in our caring and sharing with each other in whatever way is right. Let’s embrace the learning of one Mr. Scrooge and keep Christmas in our hearts all year long. And in so doing, we can all be a part of ‘Saving’ Christmas!