Immaculate Consumption

A few days ago I received a flyer by e-mail that proclaimed: "Tis the Season for Immaculate Consumption!" That sacrilege got me thinking about and noticing what seems to be the increasingly crass commercialism of Christmas. I know it's a cliché to complain about commercialism at this time of year, but for some reason it seems to be worse this year.

A week or so ago when there was talk of an impending election (here in Canada), reporters were interviewing merchants and financial gurus whose only complaint was that a Christmas election campaign would interfere with Christmas shopping. Not family time, not the holiness of the season, not the sense of good will, but shopping would be the victim of bringing politics into December. While I certainly appreciate that merchants make most of their money at this time of year, I think what I was witnessing was an appropriation of Christmas by retailers. Christmas has become the time to shop, and therefore belongs to the shopkeepers.

I have also never before been so aware of the orgy of shopping that is the last Friday in November south of the border. My TV brought me images of fistfights and stampedes (complete with trampling of human beings) in malls and big box stores. What is going on here? "Let us give thanks" followed immediately by "Get out of my way, that X-Box is mine!!" This is competitive consumption exposed in all its ugliness.

Because of my environmental leanings I long ago gave up Christmas shopping, save the occasional (very) small gift for a close friend or two. Most of the people in my circle are of similar, if not thriftier bent. Originally I would give cards indicating that a donation had been made in the recipients name to a particular charity, but over time even that has fallen away (although I still make the donations). Christmas, in my world, is just not about shopping, which makes the mainstream emphasis on shopping at this time of year seem strange and pointless.

I don't know why we don't see that most people don't need (and often can't afford) any more stuff. Most people's homes are bursting with clutter, and they complain about the lack of room in their closets and cupboards. Home organization has become a major industry, de-cluttering has become a major movement, and yet we keep shopping, for ourselves and for others whose homes are full.

The sad irony is that Christmas is supposed to celebrate the coming of the One who told us specifically not to feather our own nests while there are people in want.

“Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” —Luke 3:11

It's true that charities also make most of their money (so to speak) at this time of year, but it is nowhere near sufficient. B.C. has by far the worst child poverty rate in the country (24%) and the national average of 18% is nothing to be proud of. Our food banks are running low while the demand keeps increasing. The homelesss population keeps increasing (as far as we can tell; there isn't even money to take a proper census), and prostitution has become the only means of survival for increasing numbers of daughters, sisters, and mothers. Government cuts to taxes and programs have flesh-and-blood consequences: contrary to popular belief, the bottom line is human.

So, how about lifting up that bottom line? Instead of spending money on the latest fashions and gizmos, how about donating it to charities near and far so that others may have the bare necessities of life? Instead of spending hours at the mall or wandering around downtown, how about spending time with friends and neighbours, cooking up a storm or playing in the great outdoors? Will the economy collapse? Not likely. The poor don't sock their money away in tax-free offshore accounts, they buy stuff, just like everyone else. The question here is not whether things get bought, but who gets to buy them.

To aid in this transition I present Buy Nothing Christmas, a Canadian campaign to encourage North Americans to buy less and give more this Christmas. They have support and suggestions for people of all ages on how to resist peer pressure and jump off the shopping bandwagon. The website lists creative alternatives for celebrating the season with gusto and without going into debt. Although this is not specifically a religious campaign, they also offer a detailed Christian analysis of the commercialization of Christmas with readings and questions for reflection.

I'll leave you with an oldie but goodie from the Mahatma:

If you want to judge whether your action is good or bad, imagine the poorest [people] you know and ask yourself if your deed benefits [them] or not.
—Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Comments

[Gemma Grace]

I'm with you! I especially cringe when exquisite and sacred Christmas music is used in advertising. Gradually over the years, the act of giving has been mistakenly equated with the act of buying.

[Dan Trabue]

Uh huh. Last year, as part of our church's Reclaiming Christmas Project, we ran a contest where people would turn in the most tasteless, godawful "christmas" ads/products and we'd read them in church is week and at the end, chose the worst/most tasteless possible gift idea of the year.

One of the contenders was the commercial for a gas station where they were using Joy to the World to promote the selling of their gas. Some of the other entries included a nun-shaped sparking toy raygun! I think the "winner" was the His Essence candles - advertised as "candles that smell like Jesus"!!!

Like, after a hard day of work?

[Dan Trabue]

Oh, and another contender: The Pope on a Rope soap! Suds up with the pontiff...

[Sylvia]

Actually the Pope-on-a-Rope doesn't sounds so bad... If he can wash feet on Holy Thursday why not every day? ;)