Posted by Justin Mulwee in The Virtuous Life | 4 Comments
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Consumerism
Thanksgiving is over. What now?
“The holiday shopping season got off to an ugly start with shoppers pepper-spraying one another to battle for bargains and robbers shooting shoppers to steal their Black Friday purchases, police said on Friday.” – Reuters (full story)
The day after Thanksgiving is always the biggest shopping day of the year. Something about this strikes me as perverse. Around Christmas, everyone is encouraged (for the sake of convenience) to sit down and make a list of all the things they want, and especially the things they don’t need, so they can then pass the list to others. In my more cynical moments, I wonder why we don’t all just buy ourselves things for Christmas and skip the nonsense of exchanging lists.
It might be too simplistic to say consumerism is evil. I’m not an economist, but consumerism seems to be an almost inevitable outgrowth of wealth and freedom, neither of which are bad. But one of the worst aspects of consumerism is perceived need. Even though much post-thanksgiving shopping is for Christmas presents, somehow we get it into our heads that buying the right gifts is some kind of necessity that must be undertaken under pain of death, rather than the jovial act of generosity it’s supposed to be. For many, Christmas shopping seems to be a terrible burden, a creeping doom to be attacked with frightening gusto, desperation, and apparently, pepper spray. It’s as if people feel their relationships with those closest to them really depended on buying the right stuff. It might behoove Christians to spend a few more days cultivating a spirit of thanksgiving before it’s forgotten in Christmas shopping shenanigans.
But what is the “spirit of thanksgiving” and why is it important? Well, Thanksgiving as a regular celebration came along in the 1660s in New England. Despite the sordid history between Europeans and Native Americans, the associated “thanksgiving story” you were taught in elementary school is true, more or less. After landing in America, the Plymouth colony didn’t have enough food to last long, and starvation was a serious concern. However, they managed to befriend the Wampanoag Native Americans, who gave them seeds and taught them how to fish. The gift was not merely food, but friendship and instruction. I picture Wampanoag folks patiently trying to show the bumbling pilgrim by example how to catch a fish, like a father would teach a son. Perhaps one of the most fitting ways to celebrate Thanksgiving would be to thank God for our teachers–the parents, professors, mentors, and friends who have set us straight more than a few times.
As Christmas approaches, we shouldn’t banish Thanksgiving. Christmas is a time, above all others, to thank God for his gifts. Thankfulness is the cure for greed. Giving thanks for all we have serves as a humbling reminder that despite our ceaseless desire for more, what we have is really enough. His grace is sufficient.
I think whether or not Christmas shopping is a chore or a jovial act of generosity may depend on how you express affection. I, for example, love Christmas shopping, and I’ll sometimes do it months in advance. For me, it’s all about finding the perfect unique, unexpected item that matches the recipient’s personality and shows how much I care about them.
For those who are not into gift-giving, check out this idea: http://youtu.be/9IN0W3gjnNE
Justin,
You couldn’t have said it any better. Like you, I don’t believe it is evil to shop, but kids are trained young to expect gifts and to make an effort to go against our selfish nature and also give gifts as well. Why don’t we just shop for ourselves, we really rather would, but it would sound tacky, so we don’t. I believe we do need to spend more time in thankfulness to God for all he has done for us, especially in sending his Son on Christmas.
All I would add is this thought or challenge, however you choose to accept it. In reply to “Thankfulness is the cure for greed. Giving thanks for all we have serves as a humbling reminder that despite our ceaseless desire for more, what we have is really enough. His grace is sufficient”, I would like to add, generosity is the proof of true thankfulness and trust in God (and His provision), therefore it precedes them. So, to curb greed I would readily recommend generous giving to others. I have found it very difficult (if not impossible) to be greedy when I make giving a preceding activity to the use and enjoyment of my possession, resources, and blessings from God. I am thankful and I trust God will continue to provide because He is Faithful. That’s just who He is.
I agree as well. One of the younger children I recently came in contact with was explaining who got what for Christmas and asked me what my wife and I got each other.
I said we did not buy gifts for one another and added a cliche. All we need is each other. Nothing wrong with gift giving but if you think of a unique gift for someone, why not give it to them at the time they may most cherish or need it most? It is hard to come by things people “need” though.