Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!

So if it's better to give than to receive, why do we seem to be so concerned about what we want for Christmas?

When I talk with the kids at my corps about Christmas, they are only too willing to tell me what they want; what they are expecting their parents to give them. Shoot, many adults are the same way. I guess we've done a great job at teaching them? I can understand why the stores want to promote this way of thinking, but why we let them direct us there (as if with blinders on) is questionable at best.

My Dad has this great button he wears during the Christmas season: "Christmas is all about giving. Gimme, gimme, gimme!" Alvin the Chipmunk said he wanted a big empty box for Christmas. When Dave asked him why, he said: "So you can fill it with all kinds of toys for me!"

What can we do to at least start the process of getting out from under this consumerism? Any ideas?

Debbie & I have stopped giving each other gifts at Christmas. I mean it seems silly to ask someone who shares your bank account what they want, then go buy it when they could just as easily buy it themselves any time they want. And why buy something for someone they wouldn't buy for themselves? If they wouldn't buy it, why should I? Is giving someone something supposed to be proof of your love? I can think of many better ways.

And why should people go in debt each Christmas season?

At our corps we have decided to forgo giving Christmas presents to our Teens and Adults. Instead, we are raising money to send to the needy in some other part of the world through World Vision (a special offering every SonDay). As of right now, we have raised enough to buy a camel and a sewing machine! We're shooting for "The Whole Barnyard of Animals" package. I wonder if, by still giving our corps kids presents we are encouraging them into the consumerism I'm questioning here?

What do I want for Christmas? Nothing that you could buy for me. I want a quiet (rowdy?) Christmas SonDay Service (Holiness Meeting!) with my corps family. I'm praying ALL of them will come join in the celebration!