32 more shopping days to poverty

I can remember getting the paychecks before Christmas and sighing. If we left for vacation on Dec. 16, that meant our paychecks had to last for nearly six weeks with the most expensive time of the year landing in between. A few years into my teaching career, some district administrator came up with the novel idea to split the pain by giving us checks two months in a row five weeks apart rather than expecting us to try to survive over one six-week pay period.

I don't think it really mattered much---we were broke, and it seemed like a long time before we'd ever catch up with aftermath of the Christmas spending spree. Each year as I grow older, my sense of the Christmas season becomes more cynical. Each year when faced with the spending barrage ahead, we come up with similar thoughts to build upon what we thought during the last ---that the Christmas celebration has become so far removed from its original intent. So far removed, in fact, that we've had to give it a new name---the holiday season.

I still think that's too far off base. We all know that for the general population this season is all about money and unloading a bunch of people's pockets so another bunch of people's pockets will get their proper nourishment. So, why don't we just get real and call it Black-and-Red Month instead of just "Black Friday," as the bean-counting public relations specialists have named this Friday after Thanksgiving.

When the season is all over, a certain portion of the population will be in the "black," while an inordinate segment of us will be in the "red," for who knows how long. Who has time for "peace on earth" and "joy to the world," when we know January is gonna roll around and begin the monthly reminders of what we did to ourselves in December. We're gonna have to spend all our time figuring out how to pay for all that stuff in time to start the process all over again next time "Black Friday," rolls around.

We, as a society, allow ourselves to be sucked in by continuous reminders, through virtually every media known to man, that certain materialistic stuff is required during the Christmas season---all in the name of honoring the Prince of Peace (when, in reality, it's honoring someone else's pocketbook). If we don't stuff that stocking to the brim or run up all those plastic cards to the max, buying gifts we can't afford, Jesus' birthday party is gonna be a big disappointment.

Where did I get the idea that Jesus and his Dad could probably care less about the materialistic overkill his birthday has turned out to be. I have a hunch that the father-son combo would be a lot more pleased with all of us mortals if we'd spend less time spending and more time appreciating our earth and the people and creatures who populate it.

I also have a feeling that in preparation for Jesus' birthday if we'd all concentrate more on the basics---like treating people and the earth with respect---our Prince of Peace and His Dad would maybe figure that's the best gift of all.

And, it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg for that to happen. Maybe we could work on a paradigm shift during this 32 days before poverty, gradually altering them into 32 days of kindness, thoughtfulness, and generous giving of ourselves rather than all the stuff we give with help from plastic cards.

Easier said than done but definitely something we can work on. And a whole lot cheaper.

All good thoughts, but I can't think them any more cuz I've gotta go to the store.