Christmas in a consumerist culture

It is easy for us to get side-tracked at Christmas, and it is far too easy for us to feel the need to compete with others by getting bigger, better and more expensive presents.  In fact, the figures for projected spending have been released by the Australian National Retailers’ Association which state that “Nationally more than $32.6 billion in total sales is expected” over the four week leading to Christmas. With the average household spending $4,154. While some of this spending is for good reasons, (drawing families together for meals and expressing love for others via the giving of gifts), I can’t help but wonder, is it all too much?

For many the meaning of Christmas has changed, it is more about family than religion, gifts than grace. But at the heart of the Christmas story is God’s gracious gift of a Son, His own Son. Through the gift of Jesus God reconciled a world which had turned their backs on him.

As John puts it in his take on the Christmas story:

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1: 14

As the classic tagline goes: Jesus is the reason for the season!