Holiday Woes

There's been a lot in the news lately and on Facebook about how early Christmas becomes a part of the consciousness of the world. I've seen Facebook posts about the first Christmas ads running, the Christmas songs are heard in public, and the choices of retailers to open for Black Friday earlier and earlier. This year Target has received a lot of publicity because an employee created a petition to get Target to go back on its decision to open on Thanksgiving. People are so upset for the retail workers. How awful that they don't get to spend time with family. That is very true.

I'd like to point out a couple things though. If no one showed up on Thanksgiving, they wouldn't do it again next year. If people wouldn't line up in the middle of the night to get the "great deals" they wouldn't have felt compelled to even try. I've never really been a crack of dawn Black Friday shopper. Perhaps its because I don't understand the pressure to get "that gift" for someone. I understand people have limited budgets for Christmas (or at least we should) and want to stretch if as far as it can.

I submit, however, that all of this is because we all (present company included) have lost sight of what both Thanksgiving and Christmas are supposed to be about. Thanksgiving isn't about food, or family, or football.  Christmas isn't about presents, or decorations, or Santa. Even though I see nothing wrong with any of those things, both of these holidays are about something much bigger than that, they are meant to be worship of the one who gives us all blessings and gave us a Savior to lift us out of the din.

I realize that not everyone believes as I do. However, if you're frustrated at the direction these holidays are taking, our thought processes have to change, first. We've made this bed. We like to blame the "corporations" but they are only reacting to what they think will work and evidently has. WE created this. WE are the only ones who can change it. Perhaps if our thoughts were first on God or perhaps even on our fellow man, then this season could be what many wish it was.