Instead of cheer and joy, it is impatience and everyone for themselves.
It's more like the "Hunger Games" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark" instead of a Hallmark Christmas movie.
Yes, that's the reality of the Christmas spirit out there.
In a recent movie I was watching, one of the characters made the statement that Christmas is a season where everyone is happy, and you can see the joy in people's faces. I made a loud commentary wondering what store they are talking about because I haven't seen it.
It's sad really. The Christmas spirit has become a gifting arms race. Everyone is in a mad quest to buy presents and fulfill their checklist for this season. Finding the "perfect" present for those you love and to exceed the previous year. We also get gifts for others because we feel that we HAVE to do it.
It has become a selfish spirit for Christmas. As I was navigating our shopping cart through the aisles it was as if I was invisible to others. If they don't know you, you aren't important. I stopped my roll when a woman stopping to look at something. So as not to inconvenience her, I made a move to go down an aisle but then she made the same move without looking. She looked up at me in frustration. Here I was seeking to look out for her when it had perturbed her greatly.
So, what can we do to encourage the good, positive side of the Christmas spirit? We can do it by looking for ways to do good to people - even those we don't know. I have been working on this myself and getting in the mindset to look for ways to do good. It doesn't have to be presents or anything grand. Just opening the door for someone or a smile to the retail worker means a lot to people.
The Bible describes the kind of spirit we should have when it refers to the fruit of the spirit. These are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) I think you would agree that we certainly need these in operation out there in Target and anywhere else we go where there are people around us.
This is the Christmas spirit.
