Christmas and what matters most

It is Christmas time again, a time when you feel obligated to buy presents for family and friends.

I find Christmas to be one of those times when we lose our senses. I say this, because it seems we have forgotten what Christmas is all about.

The Christmas’ I remember and cherish most are those where the focus was not on presents but on family spending time and doing things together. I remember them because they were about activities – playing games, carol singing, playing with fire-works, listening to folk tales and so on.

While I did received presents, what I remember are the experiences. The sad thing is we no longer look forward to enjoying Christmas with family. If anything, a number of the people I know can’t wait for Christmas to come and go, as it has become a stressful time for them. Not only do they spend unnecessarily, they do so under stress.

What I find interesting with all these Christmas hysteria is buying presents with money you don’t have. To make matters worse, most of the presents bought are unwanted and will never be used. From what I heard on the news the other day most will be advertised for sale on eBay come January.

Why then do you put yourself through it? Especially when you know, it doesn’t have to be so. I will tell you why. Obligatory buying….the act of buying because you feel obligated. You feel guilty turning up for Christmas without a present in hand. According to you, family and friends would punish and disown you for not buying them a present.

Such an idea is further from the truth and we know it. No relative or friend who genuinely cares about you wants you to put yourself in financial difficulty by spending too much on him or her. What they want in reality is your love and care, which can be expressed without a present.

If you care to exercise thought, to look deeper, you would realise the winners in all these are retail outlets. They get to make large sums of money while you languish in debt, and family and friends stuck with presents they will never use.

Having the opportunity to see another year draw to a close, getting to spend time with family and friends, and celebrating religious believes is what Christmas is about, not buying presents. Focus on what matters most.