Christmas Unplugged



About ten years ago, my nuclear and extended family eliminated gift-giving. First it was ending of the giving of gifts back-and-forth between each individual member and then there was the "select one person" and then that was axed. We killed it outright. I was thankful.

We are geographically all over the place. So buying of the gifts had the mailing component on top of the selection stress. The kids were exempted. Under 18 years of age still get a Amazon Gift Card from me. I know, hardly the result of frantic and frenzied aisle roaming. It is the cash that counts.

Back in the days of full gift-giving for all, I would buy the family books. I had a talent for discerning good books from what the Fam feedback told me. Although, I breathed a deep sigh of relief when the gift-giving concluded. I know what I want and need and hardly need someone else to buy it for me. If I want it, I purchase it. Otherwise, no need to procure it for me.

This seems to be outright Un-American if not Un-Christian. Yet, let us think about this for a few moments. Jesus was poor, had no place to rest His head. When He died, the clothes He wore were gambled away. He had nothing. So, how to we commemorate His birth and life? We buy a ton of crap. Toys, electronics (much of which enamors us to the world), etc, and food and drink. Here today, gone tomorrow.

I have come to cherish the utter peace that the holiday season brings. I still convene with the Family as much as possible--can't be two places at once. There is really no longer a family home where we all come back to like some type of pilgrimage. We have scattered to the wind and the wind is not fast, affordable, and strong enough to get us all in the same place on December 25.

We see in the news those house proprietors that go over the top in creating a holiday spectacle with lights and electricity. How about under-responding to the consumerist extravaganza and unplug? Reconsider the Babe in the manger. Simple. A Christmas tree, unadorned.      

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