Has Christmas Become Too Commercialized

The answer to the question whether Christmas has become too commercialized or not, is not a matter of a mere “yes” or “no” because the issue is much more complicated than that. And, frankly, I am not all too sure that it is a relevant question to ask. After all, those of us who live in the United States of America, where most or at least much of the so called commercialization of Christmas occurs, also live in “the land of the free.” As citizens of “the land of the free” or of a free country, we are at liberty to choose just how we want to celebrate Christmas. Personally, I will respect whichever method of celebrating Christmas you choose, as long as it does not harm anyone else or even yourself.

* Allow yourself to go along with a commercialized Christmas but be careful. On the one hand, you may choose to follow the hoards of shoppers from one crowded shopping mall to another in order to find that perfect gift for aunt Molly, uncle Frankie, niece and nephew Susie and Johnny, grandma Moses and grandpa Felix, mom, dad, big sis and little brother, hubby, kids, boss, the milkman, the postman, the butcher, the baker, the cookie maker and so on and so forth. There is absolutely nothing wrong that I can see with wanting to participate in gift exchanging. It is actually a very nice gesture and a sweet tradition. Just remember to be smart by avoiding being swept away by all the advertisements, by knowing when to pull in the reins so as not to over extend your budget and fall into debt that will take you years to come out of, and by buying only those items that appear on the shopping list you had prepared in advance.

* Go back to the origins of Christmas. On the other hand, you may prefer to celebrate Christmas as it was originally intended; in prayer, in meditation, in reverie and in contemplation. And that is indeed a good way to celebrate Christmas as well. In our very harried and stress-filled lives it is good for our physiological, psychological and spiritual health and well being to turn our back on the humdrum and rigor of everyday life, to shun technology and commercialism and get in touch with our own selves and with nature.

* Re-discover your creativity and do it yourself. You might also like the idea of gift exchange but prefer not to deal with the crowds, the hustle and bustle of commercialism while at the same time save some money. You will then choose to make the gifts you intend to bestow on your loved ones. Homemade gifts, in my opinion, are labors of love and I applaud you for deciding to choose that route.

* A healthy assortment. And there is yet another means by which you might choose to celebrate Christmas and that is by taking the middle ground and doing a little of all that I have mention above — buying a little, making a little and praying a little. Congratulations for selecting my favorite way of celebrating Christmas.

So, do I believe that Christmas has become too commercialized? I do believe that Christmas has become commercialize. However, I also know that there are readily available and easy to access alternatives for those who wish to turn away from the Christmas that they believe to be too commercialized and celebrate it their own way.