It’s a coined word I use to describe the consumerization of Christmas itself.
Christmas or Christmas Day is a holiday observed on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. Right?
This date of course, is not the actual birthday of Jesus, it was chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived. Many believe that this date was chosen to overcast the Pagan winter solstice celebrations.
Today Christmas has been twisted into a dark secular carnival of excess spending, waste, greed, and hypocrisy.
How could something so miraculous as the birth of the Jesus in a rustic stable over two thousand years ago have turned into a celebration of materialistic lust?
Here’s the reality folks—
If Jesus were born today, the Star of Bethlehem would not even be visible due to the chemtrails and light pollution.
The stable owner would see a money making opportunity and would sell tickets to anyone wishing to see the baby Jesus.
Steven Spielberg would buy the rights to film Mary and Joseph as they fled to Egypt.
Jesus would be inundated with gifts from baby food manufactures and clothing line companies, which operates sweatshops in China, hoping for endorsements of their products.
The family would be put up in a big name hotel for the publicity it would bring.
Diaper companies would fight over who could provide Jesus with the biggest supply of diapers.
Why not teach your children to help feed the hungry, or maybe provide shelter to the homeless? How about visiting your local hospice?
My partner and I would visit Hayward Convalescent Hospital a couple of nights out of the week. We would have dinner and visit with the residents who didn't have family. We actually donated a piano to the hospital so that they could use it for entertaining.
It was fulfilling to know that we were making someone's life a little better.
Friends sometimes tease me that we did it for the free food. The point is, why not teach our children the blessings of giving to the less fortunate rather than developing a greedful lust for more and more presents for themselves. Additionally, let us teach our children to not give in to the social and media-generated pressure to spend more and more on meaningless, materialistic gifts.
I remember as a child that our Christmas was a simple family gathering, good homemade food, and receiving moderate gifts. This theme continued throughout my adulthood, as I continued to celebrate Christmas, not at all for the religious holiday it was, but rather the act of giving gifts, which has always been something I’ve enjoyed.
But now, how can people enjoy giving gifts that were bought in vain over the trampled body of one Jdimytai Damour, who was thrown back onto the black linoleum tiles and trampled in the stampede that streamed over and around him on Black Friday at a Wal-Mart in New York two years ago?
Witnesses say these Jesus loving Christmas shoppers were angry and banging their fists on the sliding-glass double doors, which ended up shattering with the weight of the assault as the shrieking mob surged through in a blind rush for holiday bargains.
I'm sorry, but no $100.00 Flat screen TV or whatever else the crowd had been queuing up for since 3:00 am is worth the death—or even injuries—of workers or other shoppers.
It's asinine.
What even more asinine, is that people actually believe that Wal-Mart is responsible for this. People won’t even take responsibility in their own selfish actions and try to put it off on someone else’ shoulder’s to bear.
Now we have this medium called Television, which has shifted our perceptions of the holiday in ways complex and paradoxical.
These shows no longer have magic for me.
But this year, stars are clamoring to do Christmas specials because they all have something to sell. From Jessica Simpson and Mariah Carey, to Paul McCartney. Even Beyoncé is putting on a Santa outfit and airing in a 90-minute program full of footage from her latest tour, complete with appearances by Kanye West and Jay-Z. Oh, let’s not forget little Taylor Swift who has signed on to do a special called “Speak Now,” which will feature her performing songs in her tour bus.
All of which are trying to sell you something.
I say the death at Wal-Mart is really a story of the connection between action and consequence. The simple law of attraction. You get what you put out there.
Do we all share a responsibility in the death of Jdimytai Damour?
Maybe we do, on a plank level.
Maybe we do, on a plank level.
Is this article really about the consumerization of Christmas in a culture of several unmet needs seduced by over-produced goods? Or is this about America losing its moral compass.
Or could it be that we must rely on our human ethics and social imperative to raise a new awareness so that we can begin to heal the sick and feed the hungry?
I’m certainly no Grinch….and will not be subverted by ego or discontent. I think I can turn these tragedies at both Wal-Mart and Target, past and present, into an essential message of the coming holiday season:
The meaningfulness or meaninglessness of a life is dependent upon our behavior with our fellow man, irregardless of what time of year it may be, and in the end, perhaps the greatest lesson to be learned here is that, in a world disfigured by wars and catastrophe , there is clearly much work needed to be done.
I’m up for it, are you?
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Excellent article!
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