How I Would Change Christmas

New Year Santa Big Gift

As much as I hate to say this, I don´t look forward to Christmas anymore. Don´t get me wrong, I´m no Ebenezer Scrooge, but Christmas has become more of a hassle to me than a celebration. But it is not beyond repair. There are several changes that I would, if given the opportunity, make to Christmas that would hopefully return it to its former glory.

First, I would ban anything that had to do with Christmas until the Monday following Thanksgiving. This would include Christmas shopping, Christmas preparations, Christmas plays, Christmas cards, Christmas decorations, and even the mere mention of Christmas. I know that sounds draconian, but the Christmas season now starts so early that, by the time Christmas Day actually arrives, it seems as if it has long been over. I believe a shorter Christmas season would be a better Christmas season. And there would still be enough time to get everything done (more about that later).

Second, I would tone down the commercialism. Right now, Christmas is too hard on too many people´s budgets, especially those of modest means. People spend themselves crazy during the Christmas season, blowing their savings accounts and running up tabs - that will still be around when the next Christmas season comes - on their credit cards. Some people go into so much debt during this time of the year that they become in danger of losing their homes. And for what? To buy their kids toys and gadgets will be broken by the middle of January and gifts for spouses and adult family members that many of them will never use.

I say families should adopt new rules for Christmas buying. The adults should agree to not exchange gifts. I don´t know about you, but most of what I get for Christmas is stuff that I have little or no use for. Those things only serve to pile up and get in the way. Anyway, whenever I need or want something badly enough, I buy it myself. In addition, all the adult members of a family should agree to buy each child member of that family one nice, but no so expensive, present. That would not only save families lots of money but it would also teach kids not to be so greedy, which I fear has become the case in many families nowadays.

Third, I would cut down on the activities. Not even counting the shopping and spending, the Christmas season runs many people ragged.

So many parties, so many plays, so many get-togethers with friends and acquaintances,... so many places to go. It has gotten to be way too much. It seems to me that limiting those kinds of things to twice a week during the month of December would be reasonable. Besides, the Christmas season should be used to spend more quality time at home relaxing with one´s immediate family. But how can we do this when we´re running all over the place like a chicken with its head cut off?

Fourth and finally, I would have people remember the real reason for Christmas. There would be no Christmas if God had not sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world in the form of a tiny baby. Jesus represents the only hope for a lost world. We should take time to thank God for the most wonderful gift that has ever been given. And we need to demonstrate our gratefulness by showing love to our fellow man.

We should take some of the money that we would have spent on gifts for adults and additional gifts for the kids and spend it on donations of food, gifts, and money to the needy. We should invite the lonely and the homeless into our homes for a meal. We should visit the shut-ins and those in hospitals, nursing homes, and, yes, even prisons. We should be friends to the friendless. Perhaps more people would be open to the Gospel message if we expressed Christ´s love to them not only during the Christmas season, but all year round.

Terry Mitchell is the owner and operator of Foxrater - http://www.foxrater.com - the web´s top free insurance quote site. It allows people to enter their zip code and compare the rates of auto, homeowners, health, and life insurance companies doing business in their area.