The glitz and glamour of the commercialised Christmas sparkles everywhere; trees are going up, streets are filled with pedestrian traffic, shops and stalls are springing up all over and police officers are now on almost every city block downtown. Republic Bank started decorating since October! Well I heard this was for their Christmas loan promotion but still… you get the idea.
It really is the most magical time of the year, everyone just seems so happy, considerate and generally caring and in a better mood; this isn’t bad until the real pressure of the holidays hits us.
It is the commercialisation of Christmas that causes the start of the holiday season to seem earlier every year and the sad thing about this is that while someone benefits from the profits others are struggling to keep up; this is all hidden of course but it is a harsh reality behind such a holiday.
Look at loans for example, the business deals and promotions may seem all shiny now but wait until the payments have to be made. High interest rates, the fine print and hidden clauses that jolly borrower couldn’t be bothered to read… You know the old Guyanese joke that you can ‘borrow’ from Courts now and give them back their stuff next year?
When you really think about it, Christmas has become that period of jollification that is followed by a sometimes painful, cash-strapped time. What really is the Christmas message though? We can go all the way back to the celebration of Christ’s birth but that explanation would seem hypocritical.
Why? Well simply put, the story of Jesus being born to a poor mother in a stable surrounded by farm animals because they didn’t have a proper abode to retreat to, is miles away from the lavish spending that goes on today. Jesus grew up as a humble carpenter and died a humble teacher who actually spoke against too much wealth without consideration for the poor. If Jesus’ humility is the origin of celebrating Christmas, where is that today? Why the shopping, promotions and expensive gifts? And is this really the only time of the year when you give a little of what you have to the needy?
Christmas has fully shifted from a religious celebration to a global, universal shopping spree. But if it makes everyone happy then why should I complain? The truth is, I’m really not complaining, but I don’t think it really makes adults all that happy. They just have some temporary joy before the bills start rolling in.
For some it is an affordable sacrifice, while others regret it every day for the rest of the year and then prepare to do it all again the next year. Some people invest in Christmas; they save their money all year to blow it all out in December. There is nothing wrong with spending, but considering that we live in a country that is ravaged by poverty, we should do so in a responsible manner. And at the same time, try to make Christmas a little less depressing than it is for some of the less fortunate.
Make Christmas a time when, even temporarily, the poor can rise above it.
Contribute to the smiles, the laughs, the gifts, the eating and the family reunions. The glamour of Christmas is already sparkling and the gloominess will soon follow, unless of course we all choose to invest in ensuring that does not happen. (Jairo Rodrigues)
