Commercialization kills Christmas spirit

Allison Walczyk, Managing Editor
December 27, 2009
Filed under Opinion

As a personal hero of mine, Charlie Brown, put it, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” Then Linus quotes the Gospel of Luke and explains to Charlie Brown that it is not all about the Christmas play or the “big, shiny, aluminum Christmas tree,” but the birth of Jesus Christ. Every year, I am amazed and a little discouraged at the commercialization of Christmas.

Just the other day, I was shopping with a friend and found that the workers were  mean and irritable and the other shoppers were pushy and selfish.  I know that it’s a stressful time of year, but it’s also supposed to be one of the happiest seasons.

People feel the need to outdo whatever they did last year. Maybe they’re stressed about seeing family or finding the perfect gift. However, if I were given the choice of a store-bought, cookie cutter gift or something  homemade that was actually given some serious thought, I’d pick the latter any day.

The music around the holidays is something else  that puts me out of the Christmas spirit. If I hear “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree,” “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” or God forbid “Blue Christmas,” one more time, I may go insane.

Despite popular belief, Christmas will come and will be the same even if you don’t get your Christmas shopping done, drive like a maniac, find the “perfect” tree, or even hear a couple Christmas carols. So, stop taking the true meaning of Christmas— God, family, and togetherness— out of December 25, and maybe you’ll enjoy yourself, until the after-Christmas sales come around, of course.

Allison Walczyk can be reached for comment at awalczyk@jcpatriot.com