The commercialization of Christmas, all the gift buying, etc. has really, really gotten to me this year. Put me in a bad mood actually, but I’ve since adjusted my attitude. After listening to my dad talk about how grateful he and his brothers and sisters were when they received an orange and a few hard candies on their plate on Christmas morning during the Great Depression, I was thinking how spoiled we all are today and how far afield we’ve gotten from the ‘reason for the season’. This year, we aren’t doing presents except for the smallest kids. I’m doing some baking and gifts given will be the work of my hands and the love from my heart .... something personal and meaningful.
Last night, during the Christmas Eve service, we sang a hymn that I don’t recall every singing - the melody was beautiful and I saved the bulletin with the words ... just a few of them:
See amid the winter’s snow,
Born for us on earth below,
See, the gentle Lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years.
Sacred Infant, all divine,
What a tender love was Thine,
Thus to come from highest bliss
Down to such a world as this!
Hail, O ever blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
(Merry CHRISTmas everybody - MM)
I’d keep at least one wrapped gift under a tree, or maybe under a star ornament, for its larger metaphorical value. If the gifts were handmade, fine — even if they could be only handmade Christmas cards — but I’d still go through the drill.
Handmade means a lot to children when it’s done well, and many will want to participate in the making.
But that’s just my personal point of view.