Posted by BY J E SOLOMON
THE Christmas season has almost begun. This is the time of year when Christians especially become infected with the spirit of buying and offering gifts. For some it’s a holy ritual – a bounden duty that shouldn’t be neglected, and for others it’s an unholy ritual that’s very unwelcome.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve heard from close associates and friends talking about the inherent headaches that the season usually brings. They mentioned the obvious need to spend and spend even when the spending ability is woefully lacking.
Denise, a single mother in her upper thirties said, “I hate the season (referring to Christmas).” That was way back in the middle of October this year, and she was already worrying about gifts that she would have to buy for relatives and very close friends. According to Denise she still has gift items from previous seasons that she had never used. “Some of the parcels still have their wrappers on them. I believe some recipients of my gifts may also have theirs sitting in wardrobes or closets. It really sucks.”
Denise was convinced that this year things would be different and that she wouldn’t let herself get caught up with the shopping frenzy. She admitted though that there’re a couple of close relatives she might have to present with gifts. “They’re the only reason why I would consider doing some shopping. I’m not even sure.” Denise didn’t sound like she was actually going to buy something new even for herself.
There are probably far too many people out there like Denise and those that I personally had the chance to listen to. But the problem isn’t much about the unused gifts that would probably sit for years in closets or wardrobes, it’s about the attitude with which some of the gifts are purchased by those who feel intensely unwilling to do it.
If one has to buy gift items not wholly from their hearts, but out of compulsion, then the gift itself is already tainted with resentment. When one picks up an item in a store and stands before the cashier to pay for it with an unwilling heart, to me it would be worthless as a gift. It’s completely unchristian, and therefore, ungodly So why do it if you don’t feel like? “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7
Fact is gift-giving at this time of the year has become an unwritten competition among many people. Subordinate employees in certain establishments who consider their job positions insecure without resorting to gift-giving often present gifts to their superiors. It’s an indirect way of bribing their way into getting undeserved favors from their bosses.
Such competitive tendencies also prevail among some married men and women who seek to outshine their rivals in marriage to please their in-laws at Christmas. Years ago, a friend of mine told me he had to buy a goat at Christmas on behalf of his wife to present to his own rich uncle because the wife didn’t want to present her in-law with live fowl which might make her look cheap. Word had reached her from the grapevine that one of her rivals in marriage had ordered live goat from the village to present to the uncle for Christmas. She didn’t want to play second fiddle to any rival, so to speak.
The whole Christmas celebration is centered on the presumed birth day of Jesus Christ, that’s December 25. Whether it’s factually the real birthday or not is not the essence of this article. The origin of Christmas as a celebration is already well-known. A yearly Roman pagan celebration – Saturnalia –actually metamorphosed into the celebration of what is now Christmas. To imagine that a non-sacred pagan celebration have been embraced as the commemoration of the birthday of Jesus Christ makes it all the more sacrilegious.