Where Has Christ Gone in Christmas?

Christmas is the day we are supposed to celebrate the birth of the Christ child. Let's forget for a minute that December 25^th is not the actual birth date of Jesus Christ and that Jesus himself said not to celebrate the day of his birth (these are subjects for other articles). If we are indeed celebrating the birth of our savoir, then why all the concentrating on the giving and getting of gifts? Gifts have become the most important things on this most blessed of days. People are more concern with what gifts they are going to give or get on this day then anything else. So much so that a lot people actually get sick from worrying about what gifts to give.

Every year people go deep into debt for the bragging rights of giving the best gift, the most expensive gifts or even the most gifts. Christmas is now the season for giving instead of the season for remembering the birth of Jesus. Christmas is now the season for Santa Claus not for the most important child that was ever born, the child who became the man that died for our sins. Don't get me wrong I'm not a Scrooge, I believe in giving. But not a Play Station Two or an Xbox, a diamond necklace or a new DVD player not even the latest toy. These things don't feed or clothe people and isn't that what Jesus was all about, helping people, loving people and teaching people to love and help one another.

Sure people that haven't gone to church all year long go on Christmas day for an hour or two and think "Yea, I'm celebrating Christ's birthday", but isn't it about more then that? Sure it's a time when family and friends get together and show how much they care, but shouldn't we do that all year round? And even though these things are good, doesn't it still always come down to the gifts? There's always that moment for the gift exchange. So I ask you is it Christmas or Giftmas?

There are a lot of things wrong with the way we have chosen celebrate Christmas, from decorating our houses to Christmas trees to mistletoe, to Santa Claus, but this gift thing is the biggest because it absolutely takes us over. We become obsessed with buying gifts months before the holiday. I say let's put Christ back in Christmas and take the gift out.

Merry Christmas