I've had these same thoughts about Christmas this year, myself. Last year, when our finances were so messy, we made the commitment that we'd get small gifts for each other, and Santa would only bring 3 gifts for the girls. After all, if Jesus only got three gifts, how can we be upset with that amount?
Christmas Speaks of Gift of Life.
(17 Dec 08 - RV) In his last general audience before Christmas, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the current economic crises as an opportunity for people to rediscover the real meaning of Christ’s Birth.
The Christmas trees are in place, the final touches are being put to the nativity scenes, traditional hymns of practising choirs fill the halls of the Vatican, everything is ready for Christmas.
In his last audience of the year, Pope Benedict focused on the nine days leading up to the feast of Christ’s birth and how we can prepare ourselves to enter into the Christmas spirit, even in times of economic crises.
“Christmas speaks to everyone; it celebrates the gift of life – often fragile or endangered – and the fulfilment of our deepest hopes for a world renewed. The present economic crisis, causing so much suffering, can however help us to focus on the spiritual meaning of Christmas, and to welcome into our hearts the hope brought by God’s coming among us as man”.
Pope Benedict added that the difficulties of an economic crises that have hit so many families “can become an opportunity and a stimulus” to free Christmas from the “accumulations of consumerism” which reduce it to an occasion for the sole purpose of buying and exchanging gifts” and help us to “rediscover the warmth of solidarity, of friendship” the “warmth of Christmas”, the “message if Christ’s birth”. ...
Read the rest of our Holy Father's wisdom here.
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