6 minute read

By Bethany Rees

Boy oh boy do we love our Christmas presents. As children we start fantasizing about getting that one special present that will truly make us happy. We ask Santa Claus for it, and let our parents know about it (just in case the jolly elf doesn’t come through). We talk about it constantly to make sure everyone knows the exact present, and we start dreaming about all the awesome times we’ll have when we get that special thing. 

The anticipation we had as children for a special present was like no other. The hopes and dreams of what will be laying under the tree on Christmas morning kept us giddy with delight.  

While this feeling of want and anticipation for a Christmas present is such a fun experience to be a part of and watch, most of us probably can’t remember all the presents we’ve been given over the years. Sure, we might be able to recall some of the bigger ones that had a ton of emotion or experiences tied to them: the Atari, Cabbage Patch, Nintendo, Xbox/Playstation, American Girl doll, trampoline, or bike. But if I were a betting person, then I would bet that, like me, most of your Christmas memories are more feeling and experience based: family traditions, playing games, playing with cousins, doing puzzles, watching a specific Christmas movie, being crammed into a small living room at your grandparents with what felt like hundreds of people, etc. 

You see stuff doesn’t make us happy nor does it fill the voids we all have - deep down we already know this! However, if we’re not intentional we can approach Christmas like it is in fact all about the “stuff” because that is what we spend our time, energy, and money on.

So this year I would like to propose that we all give a different kind of Christmas “present.”

Let me explain…

Remove the Chains

Our society is becoming one that could be described by the word: distracted. Distractions that make us not fully present with those around us. Thanks to smartphones and the ability to work from home we have all but lost clear boundaries between work and home life and eye to eye or voice to voice connection with others. We are always on and available. We have become chained to our phones and the world on the other side of the screen. 

Think about how often our kids, friends, relatives, etc don’t see our eyes. They see the back of a smartphone or only our forehead because we are looking down at our phone. 

Here’s an experiment for you: go out to dinner at a busy restaurant and observe how many people are looking at each other versus looking down at a phone. Or you can just ask a secondary educator what the students look like in the school cafeteria...spoiler: the majority of students are looking down at their phones and not up at their friends. Adults aren't much better than the students in a school cafeteria. 

Whether it’s social media, online gaming, or work emails, when we are eyes down and head into our phones we are not truly present with those in the room. Being on technology so much is robbing our loved ones of the greatest present of all...our attention. The heart of it is that people really do want to be seen and heard more than they want stuff. 

But unfortunately, they can often feel like second class citizens to the phone in the our hand. Why? Because the phone (and now smart watch) is proving to trump their status...First, we all usually keep our phones in our pockets at all times so we are always available to other things. Second, one buzz of the phone/watch typically causes us to disengage from the person in the room to look at the notification that just popped up...reiterating that whatever just occurred on the phone was more important than the conversation they were just having with us. 

Consumerism

During Christmas we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. And we already have a lot of stuff! In fact, according to Neighbor.com's research, in 2017 almost 10% of American households were renting a self storage unit. And that doesn’t include all the households that have their own storage sheds or barns full of stuff.  

Why? Because our society can be defined by another word: consumerism, or the focus on acquisition of goods and services. From electronics to plastics and knick knack decor to overflowing garages of unused items, the average household in America is filled with lots of stuff.  

According to Joshua Becker in his book Clutterfree with Kids, he explains the following statistics: 

“We live in a world that loves accumulating possessions. And while nobody would ever admit they are trying to purchase happiness, most people live like they are.” 

He goes on to explain how our lives are made up of finite resources and that we trade our time, money, and energy for something else. First we trade our lives for security (trading our time to secure shelter, clothing, food, etc via a paycheck), but then we go on to pursue comfort (more stuff), luxury (nicer stuff), and victory (winning the competition of having more stuff than you). He continues to explain that:

“We were created to live for pursuits greater than comfort, luxury, and competition. We were created to trade our lives up, not down.

Often, we spend our time and energy chasing things that are physical in nature...All the while, we convince ourselves we are seeking these things to improve the security and opportunity for our children.” 

In essence, we are giving our lives away to lesser things, like the pursuit of more stuff (comfort, luxury, and competition/status). This includes working longer hours to either make more money or earn more prestige to get the promotion all in the name of buying more stuff or bigger stuff. And the struggle is real because we feel like we are forced to “go with the flow,” “keep up with the Joneses,” and “stay in the loop.”

We now have a culture that believes the lie that "if my child isn't in multiple activities, doesn't have a private coach/tutor or the best of toys/electronics by the age of 8, he/she won't be successful." Ugh! No wonder our family schedules are so overbooked, and our debt is so outrageous. 

And yes your child will ask for expensive stuff for Christmas (phones, tablets, PC gaming computers, Xbox/Playstation, airpods, etc) because their friends have it. However you as the parent get to decide what lesson they learn: 

So as you go into this Christmas season, think about what type of present you are giving your children, your family, and your friends. Don't let the phone distractions and the buying of stuff (stuff people don't need with money you don't have) ruin your Christmas. 

This Christmas is the perfect time to give a different kind of “present” - Your time and full attention to those you're with. 

Merry Christmas!

Know Better. Do Better. Live Better. Be Present.

Rocks before Sand!

Scripture: 

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

~Matthew 6:19-21

Theme Song: 

I Need a Silent Night by Amy Grant

Reference Used:

• It’s a Wonderful LIfe. Directed by Frank Capra, Liberty Films, 1946.
• A Christmas Story. Directed by Bob Clark, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1983.
• Neighbor News, Self Storage. Self Storage Industry Statistics. December 18, 2019. https://www.neighbor.com/storage-blog/self-storage-industry-statistics/ 
• Becker, Joshua. Clutterfree with Kids. Becoming Minimalist. 2014.
• The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.