Christmas In 10 Minutes Or Less

Warning! The Following Editorial May Be Dangerous To Your View Of Christmas. The Following Comments Are Those Of The Writer And Do Not Reflect The Opinions Of The Vast Majority Of People Who Keep The Holiday.

Christmas In 10 Minutes Or Less
By Richard Markland, December 25, 2005

Well, Christmas is finally here. From Thanksgiving until today, the fast pace and frenzied spending habits of millions of people now brings us to the day so many have looked forward to. Today will pass by quickly, and 10 minutes is all it will take for many people to unwrap the gifts they receive and realize how quickly the day is over.

As I looked at my neighborhood from my living room window this morning, I wondered how many people had already opened their presents? A number of families would soon go to church and than on to a family gathering with relatives for lunch or dinner. There will be an abundance of ham or turkey, resulting in a few pounds gained. Presents will be piled high on a special table or under a tree. Hope reigns eternal on a day when the anticipation of what a person is going to "get" can cause a childlike giddiness in many adults, let alone children. I wonder, however, how many people really enjoy "giving" when they know their credit card bills will be coming in the mail within a matter of days? The companies who are mass producers of plastic used by so many shoppers have an over abundance of Christmas cheer when it comes to tallying up so much reckless spending. They are all too happy to remind consumers of how much they were needed. Few people have asked whether they should have spent so much on others. After all, it's Christmas. Shoppers reason it's best to worry about the cost later. Since this day only comes once a year, no one wants to appear as if they can't afford a nice gift, or two, or three, or four. Without the plastic in millions of wallets and purses, what would people do?

Just as so much time is invested in the making of a good home cooked meal, so it is with a holiday such as Christmas. Careful consideration was taken when buying just the right gift and the careful wrapping of each one with expensive paper. Within minutes, mounds of paper are strewn throughout the room and the actual celebration is over. I wonder how honest people are after "getting" what they have received? What if shadows could speak? Of course many people have let it be known what is desired ahead of time so they wont' be surprised and frustrated.

What has never ceased to amaze me about Christmas is how crowded the isles are at Wal-Mart because so many people take the time to talk to each other at the expense of those who simply want everyday items or who are also Christmas shopping. I never see individuals taking the time to chat during the rest of the year as I do during the 3-4 weeks before Christmas. Patience has been of paramount importance as I have had to move my cart around 3 or 4 people at a time because they have decided to catch up on the past or share a conversation about Christmas plans. I usually look at the isles of Wal-Mart as more than ample, but they seem so narrow in late November and December. Honestly, where is the friendliness the rest of the year? How quickly the isles will be easy to maneuver in and out of in the next week or two as the very same people who laughed and shared words for 10 or 15 minutes before Christmas will now avoid each other because of a massive holiday hangover--both physically and mentally.

The letdown after December 25th is huge. If the stockmarket took a nosedive as severely as the mental state of people who have observed the holiday, there would be a major economic crisis in this country. Returning items is going to be a major undertaking for the next few days. Wrong sizes, colors, or simply a dislike for what has been received will prompt millions of people to make the arduous journey to exchange what they received. "After Christmas Specials" will be heavily advertised and more credit card spending will continue at a frenzied pace for the next week or two. Few people realize that the average middle class family in America is already $9,000.00 in debt to just credit cards alone, without taking into consideration the spending on Christmas items.

I look forward to the traffic flow and grumpiness of people when a return to normal comes on January 2nd. Of course New Year's Day is the next ordeal to face, but I've never found it as difficult as Christmas itself. I've come to appreciate being around "moody" people throughout the year because their attitudes are predictable and steady. I actually have a more positive attitude when being around people who are "normal" from January until late November. As I have watched people achieve an emotional high, due to the anticipation of Christmas and New Year's Day, so many have decided to put adulthood on hold. To be able to take on a childlike excitement for a few weeks is the mindset of many people. I hear more laughter everywhere and parking lots are noisier as people can't wait to get inside and spend money they don't have. Even though many people are a slave to stress because of over spending, somehow I am viewed as odd and strange because I don't keep Christmas. At least I know why I don't, but how many people can prove why they do and back it up with historical fact and research done by scholars?

Within the time I started this editorial, more presents have been opened and the letdown of the day continues. It is the beginning of the end of another holiday season. I've aged once again this year as a result of being around the spirit of the season when finding myself 8 to 10 carts away from the cashier with only 4 to 5 items of everyday essentials. The term "Express Lane" takes on a greater meaning this time of year.

Today, there is an overcast sky with fog and rain. Yes, there is snow on the ground for those who have desired a white Christmas, but how many people question why God would want His Son to be born during such a miserable time of the year? Few people realize Christ was born in late September or early October, instead of during the dead of winter. Few people ask why December 25th?

People don't realize why Joseph and Mary had such a difficult time finding a place to stay and had to end up in a manger. There simply wasn't a room available in Bethlehem because a census was taken for the purpose of collecting taxes. They were also on their way to keep a festival called The Feast Of Tabernacles. Many people who were in Bethlehem were on their way to observe the festival as well. Christ actually observed this festival during His life on the earth, but few Christians know it. Would it be recognized and acknowledged if it was understood?

Everyone observes their birthday on the date it happened, but the observance of Christ's birthday is celebrated approximately 3 months later than when it actually occurred. I don't know of anyone else's birthday observed on the wrong day and in the way it is. Could it be that Christ doesn't recognize Christmas, just as people wouldn't recognize it if their birthday was kept on the wrong day? This may rile people when asked such a question, but could it be true? Of course many people reason it doesn't make a bit of difference as long as they keep it in honor of Christ, but does it make a difference to Him? Are people speaking for Christ instead of allowing Him to speak for Himself?

The Christmas observance is a tradition handed down from generation to generation without question. Few people want to change the observance of the day because of the attraction and beauty of it, but what does God think? Is it important?

To many people, even the slightest hint that Christmas has its origin in paganism, and is the actual birthday of the "sun god", will cause the hair to raise on the back of the neck. Even though every facet of Christmas has a pagan origin, many people reason that surely the observance can't be wrong as long as we honor Christ? After all, isn't it true that God looks upon the heart of people, and if they are sincere, this is all that matters? If the Bible is the source for the answer to this question, far more is required.

The economic survival of countless businesses is at stake during Christmas. Without it, many would not survive. This is why the holiday will thrive until God reveals how He feels about a celebration that has nothing to do with the birth of His Son. When that day comes--and it will--people will be shocked. It's going to happen--and when it does--those who call themselves "Christian" will receive the wakeup call of their lives.

Even though gifts were given to Christ--and not to other people in the Bible--it makes little difference to those who insist this is a time to honor Christ. What I have written will not change the minds of the people who keep this day. I do want to clarify that I do not condemn people who keep Christmas, but I do condemn a holiday that has its root in paganism, but is disguised and giftwrapped as Christian.


(c) 2005 By Richard Markland
"A Christmas Of 10 Minutes Or Less."