The real meaning of Christmas so often gets buried under the peripheral celebrations of Christmas: the giving and receiving of gifts, the songs, baking and special meals, events and programs, church and social parties, etc. Somewhere in the midst of all the hoopla is the real meaning of Christmas.
Christmas is the celebration of God’s gift of Jesus Christ to the human race. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.” Christmas is a celebration of God’s greatest gift to us, not a celebration of gifts that we given or received.
Americans spend $450 billion on Christmas – that’s $450,000,000,000 - on Christmas gifts for each other! What percentage of that ends up in the garages, storage sheds and garage sales across America? Is all the gift giving about blessing others, or is it more from mixed up motives such as buying love, covering up guilt or showing off?
It is estimated that it would cost $10 billion – that’s $10,000,000,000 - to provide clean water around the world. So if Americans gave 2% less in total gift giving and instead gave it to groups that were working to provide clean water around the world, within a few years every person would be cooking, cleaning, bathing and drinking clean water. Just 2% less!
Please don’t think I’m trying to tell people where to give, how much to give or whether to give at all. My intent is to encourage each of us to think differently about how we celebrate God’s gift to humanity. Giving to someone who can’t do anything for you in return and who you will probably never meet will be the greatest gift you can give to celebrate Christmas.
I can’t give $10, 000,000,000, but I can give my 2%.
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