Let's face it. Ever since Santa Claus hired his very first elf at his castle in the North Pole, Christmas has been about presents. Yes, there is the religious connotation in the celebration of Christ's birth but there are few--Christian or not--who don't celebrate Christmas as a time of giving and receiving. With the exception of those who do not celebrate Christmas for religious reasons, the Christmas present is a universal gesture on December 25th. Nearly everyone at this time takes pleasure in sharing what they have with those who are closest to them.
Nevertheless, there is a backlash in contemporary culture against commercialism during Christmas time. Watch the Grinch become baffled as every resident of Whoville gathers in a circle and sings a song, ignoring the fact that everything they own has disappeared. Watch Charlie Brown lament over his sister's unending Christmas list and the fact that his friend Lucy is satisfied with no gift short of real estate. On one side of the coin, children and adults alike are prodded by marketers to indulge in the newest toys during the Christmas season. On the other hand, we as a culture seem to shame one another for making Christmas out to be a commerical Holiday.
But is commercialism so bad for Christmas? Think about all the Christmas gifts you've received throughout your life. There is probably something special that gave you some of your fondest memories. Think about all the Christmas gifts you've given. Chances are, there'll be something that truly expressed the depth of the love you had for the individual to whom the gift was given. Christmas is about giving and receiving. Even the wise men of the Bible gave Jesus gifts as a token of honor.
This Christmas, I challenge those who celebrate Christmas to embrace commercialism. I don't mean to turn into a selfish, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. I mean the exact opposite. Give excessively. Receive excessively. A gift is a powerful thing. Christmas is the time to celebrate it.
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