Now is the time to decide what Christmas will be for you this year. For the past 12 years, Christmas has taken on a new focus for me. Live more simply so that others might simply live. Christmas consumerism is a 1st world problem. Christmas Day for most, while perhaps a day of celebration and some special times, is another day to live even while celebrating God's gift of life. It's not full of presents. It's not an overabundance of food.
House renovations versus living in a house
Car repairs versus owning a car
Having "nothing to wear" versus having 2 sets of clothes -
one for church & one for the other days
Honestly, most of what we plan for, what we fret over, what we rejoice in are 1st world problems. We overindulge in an overabundance of things we don't need. It becomes clear when we move - and purge - and find things we no longer use, had forgotten about and didn't need in the first place. Our overindulgence leads to debt, obesity, lethargy and loneliness. What we hoped would fill our lives ends up taking life from us.
How will Christmas be different for you this year? With 17 weeks to go, here are some thoughts:
1 Decide to stay out of debt. Giving gifts you can't afford, and some of those to people you don't even like, isn't what makes Christmas. If your love language is receiving gifts, this could be difficult for you. Decide how you'll give gifts while avoiding debt. Start by decreasing the number of gifts.
2 Plan family time. The focus on presents and the spending of dollars to get them has the tendency to push family aside instead of bring them together. Instead of a wrapped present, do something together: go to an IMAX movie; see a Christmas season play like A Christmas Carol. Spend your dollars on something that creates a memory rather than ripped wrapping paper and trash.
3 Sponsor a needy child or family. We started this tradition over a decade ago, where some of our Christmas savings goes to support a child in Haiti through Starfish Kids. It doesn't matter which Operation Christmas Child (better hurry on this one for this year). Find a local family to sponsor with a meal and some gifts. You might plan on serving a Christmas Day meal at a homeless shelter instead of overindulging at home.
organization you choose, just choose one. Fill some shoe boxes for 
4 Give away 1/2 of your normal spending. This is the method I've used in The Live Simply Project over the past decade. We have the privilege and responsibility to use our overabundance of resources to serve those around us, and across the world. Here are some ways to do that: sponsor a child, simply give the dollars to a worthy organization, save the dollars for a mission trip next summer.
Some people need to simply cut back on what they spend. Some would benefit more from re-purposing their normal spending to focus on family and others. Do something different this year. Make a difference. If filling our lives up with stuff - through gifts - made us happy and filled our lives, we'd be the happiest and most fulfilled people ever. A fulfilled life doesn't come from what we get or possess but from what we give and the people with whom we do life.
Christmas in the U.S. is a 1st world problem. How will you solve it this year?
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