The Economics of Christmas

Originally posted on September 18, 2008 via Multiply.com
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The very first Christmas was celebrated in austerity and simplicity, according to the Holy Bible.  There were no christmas trees and lanterns to glitter the occasion, except the star of Bethlehem that led the three wise men from the East.  No christmas music was heard, except the sweet carol of the angels announcing the Nativity to the poor shepherds of Bethlehem who were spending the night in the open fields of Judea, taking care of their flocks.  No savory food and sparkling drinks were served to the guests.  There was not even a proper clothing to warm the "Superstar" of that holy event.  The scene of the celebration itself was without splendour and wealth becoming of the "King" that was born that night. For the Savior chose to rest his infant self in a manger, where animals feed, and in the company of his foster parents and simple friends.  In the holy books of the Old Testament, this was the event long foretold by their prophets and holy men, and awaited by the Jews.  Ironically, when that sacred prophecy was taking place, only a handful of men were present to witness this holy and historic event.  But behold, in the silence of that holy night of the first Christmas, the Promise was fulfilled: the Messiah was born to the Jews.  This was the moment of great joy, which is the real essence and message of Christmas, peace to all men of goodwill.

But things have changed, thousand years after that first Christmas.  The heavenly star and the angelic song are gone.  Instead, christmas trees ornamented with blinking and multi-colored lights are seen in our times. Beautiful and artistic lanterns are displayed in homes and offices.  Stereo music replaced the angelic song.  Santa Claus and christmas cards made their appearance, and other man-made decorations to  make the celebration of the holy season more colorful.  Man's creativeness seems inexhaustible in making Christmas more enjoyable for both the young and the old as years pass by, in material and physical sense.

So today this year-end holiday is the most extravagantly observed.  It is the favorite season of the year by enterprising people.  They benefit the most, in monetary terms, by making the celebration a golden opportunity to reap more profits through their business activities.  After all, no one thinks of Christmas without figuring out the money to spend during the holiday.  The children, for example, ask for toys, cellphones perhaps, and clothes.  The housewives need brand new home appliances, furniture, jewelries and fabulous clothes for the socialite. The husbands cannot be left behind, too.  They treat themselves to new cars perhaps, travel, new house, or expensive drinks to entertain friends.  And the young and lovers?  Ah, from christmas cards to other token of love are shared with their sweethearts to make the season greetings more expressive and meaningful indeed. Even the beggars in the streets may demand higher "take" on Christmas day.  Everybody celebrates Christmas with a big BANG!

But one wonders whether our modern day observance of Christmas still reflects its religious significance.  There is joy and merriment, alright. But this depends on whether or not we can afford the "happiness" and celebration during the holiday.  This is because our celebration of Christmas in the modern times is dictated by economic realities.  Business is at its peak since people tend to spend more lavishly during this season than in any other times of the year.  Yuletide provides the opportunity and the excuse to be more generous and extravagant with our possession.  It becomes an occasion for gift giving and receiving.  The young, for example, think of Christmas in terms of receiving gifts, while the not so young find themselves in the opposite end of giving and sharing. But not for those who find themselves in neither end of the giving or receiving, the poor of society who neither have anything to give, nor generous friends from whom to expect something on Christmas day.  Is this not the adverse outcome of making Christmas purely an "economic" or mundane holiday"?  In so doing, it's money that is the most important means to the celebration. Since not all are blessed with materials things, Christmas celebration in our modern times becomes an exclusive affair of the rich and the loneliness for the poor and deprived.

Yet, even for the middle class Christmas today is an expensive activity in economics terms.  Prices of commodities soar up during the holiday season while the purchasing power of currencies go down.  As usual, the worst affected are the low-income groups and the unemployed.  The poor who barely survive through the year cannot join the fun and festivity.  Hopefully, and even by sheer luck perhaps, extra money would come through lotteries and bonuses from generous companies.  Still not everybody may be as luck as the others.  There will always be families who cannot enjoy Christ's birthday as it is celebrated in our modern times by reason of poverty.  This is the irony of Christmas in our modern times.

But if Christmas is to become once more the birthday of the "Poor Man of Nazareth", as the Holy Bible says, the poor must rightly share in the celebration.  Then the question is how to make it a celebration of people from all walks of life, so to say, -- the young and the old, the sick and the healthy, the rich and the poor?  The answer lies in the re-evaluation of our own values in the light of the religious significance of that holy and sacred night in Bethlehem when the Savior was born. First, our celebration must transcend the purely material aspect of man and reach through his complete "being".  This is the kind of celebration befitting to man because real joy must satisfy both his body and spirit. Second, Christmas as the celebration of Nativity must be rid of economic activity and given back the true message and essence of that first Christmas in Bethlehem: a great joy and peace to all because the "Promise" is fulfilled and a new "Life" is restored to mankind.  Then Christmas can become once more a religious and universal celebration of people of whatever race, belief and economic standing.  This is the kind of celebration needed in our modern times.  Otherwise, the year-end holiday will remain an exclusive and expensive event, especially for people who have nothing extra to spend during the Yuletide.

A Blessed and Merry Christmas to all!