Wednesday, December 12
I’m considering ‘Festivus’…
This time of year is great in so many ways, (Birth of Jesus and all), and so frustrating to me in just as many.
Most of my frustration has to do with cultural expectations that drag this wonderful time of Christmas down to a nauseating level. This expectation of buying and spending and indulging and buying and spending…all because that is what this time of the year has come to expect and represent.
Adding to my usual seasonal frustration is the fact that we are reading Brian Mclaren’s ‘Everything Must Change’ in our Panera book club. Whether I agree with everything in the book or not, just illuminating the reality of a world with so much need is enough to make me angry and extremely sad at least weekly.
I’m thankful that my fellow ‘book clubbers’ are tolerant of me, (although ‘Grinch’ has been used to describe my temperament more than once).
Do we really have to spend $800 per family on Christmas gifts…? (that’s the calculated average spending for families on Christmas)
Maybe the Constanzas were on the right track…
Frank Costanza: Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.
Cosmo Kramer: What happened to the doll?
Frank Costanza: It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born: a Festivus for the rest of us!
Most of my frustration has to do with cultural expectations that drag this wonderful time of Christmas down to a nauseating level. This expectation of buying and spending and indulging and buying and spending…all because that is what this time of the year has come to expect and represent.
Adding to my usual seasonal frustration is the fact that we are reading Brian Mclaren’s ‘Everything Must Change’ in our Panera book club. Whether I agree with everything in the book or not, just illuminating the reality of a world with so much need is enough to make me angry and extremely sad at least weekly.
I’m thankful that my fellow ‘book clubbers’ are tolerant of me, (although ‘Grinch’ has been used to describe my temperament more than once).
Do we really have to spend $800 per family on Christmas gifts…? (that’s the calculated average spending for families on Christmas)
Maybe the Constanzas were on the right track…
Frank Costanza: Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.
Cosmo Kramer: What happened to the doll?
Frank Costanza: It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born: a Festivus for the rest of us!
Mark Nelson at 5:29 PM 4comments
4 Comments
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at 8:54 PM
Katie said... Bring on the airing of grievances and the feats of strength!!
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at 10:47 PM
KJOY said...
Hmmm...
May I join in on your Grinchiness? I think you just quoted my feelings I go through about once a week, myself.-
at 12:23 AM
said... Bah-Freaking-Humbug man, where's my presents?
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at 12:44 PM
Rob said...
Amen brother! Right there with ya. We decided not to do presents with our fam this year. Instead, we are giving the money we would have spent to whatever charity/mission that the other person wants to give to. Everybody wins!