A Christmas Challenge

Christmas is fast approaching (only 6 days left); there are more lights going up on houses, shops are getting busier as people search for those final few presents, and there are only a few days left to post those Christmas cards, Christmas cards that are becoming less and less religious. In 2011, the Daily Mail conducted a survey and discovered that “of 6,576 cards in major supermarkets in seven locations in England and Wales … only 36 featured scenes such as Jesus in a manger or angels. Traditional nativity scenes appear on less than 0.5% of all cards available.”

And it is not just Christmas cards that show the increasing decline of Christ in Christmas. The following statistics are taken from http://www.eauk.org/culture/statistics/christmas-facts-and-quotes.cfm;

In a survey conducted by ComRes on behalf of Theos in December 2010 the following results were obtained:

·  51% agreed with the statement "The birth of Jesus is irrelevant to my Christmas" whilst 46% disagreed with the statement.

·  61% agreed "Christmas is mainly for children" whilst 38% disagreed.

·  36% said they would be attending a Christmas service. 62% said they would not be going to a service, 2% were unsure.

A survey commissioned by The Children's Society in 2010 found that only 10% of adults think that it's religious meaning is the most important thing about Christmas. Only 4% of 25-34 year olds thought the religious aspect was important whilst 20% of those over 60's years feel that it is the key aspect of Christmas. 67% of all adults said spending time with family was the most important thing about Christmas.

As well as these statistics, Norwich has also been dubbed the ‘most godless city’ in England and Wales after the census showed the city has the highest proportion of people reporting ‘no religion’.

A pretty bleak picture.

But this is the world we are called to. We are called to spread the word of God, and we have the perfect opportunity at this time of year. By explaining the true meaning of Christmas, we can share the gospel. Christmas grants us opportunities to share that are unique.

Have you spoken to anyone this year about what Christmas really means? I know I haven’t. I’ve shied away from it and not taken opportunities to share. But my challenge to you and to me is to share the meaning with at least one person who does not truly understand why we celebrate Christmas.

Maybe grab a coffee with a friend, chat through Christmas plans, and invite them to a service? There’s still time!

Or if you’re less confident, maybe post a link to a youtube video on your facebook, with explanation and something from yourself about why you celebrate Christmas? The one I plan to share with some friends is at the end of this post, and there are many more at www.thenativityfactor.com

Find what works for you. But please, spread the light of Christmas amongst those who walk in darkness. Please share any stories in the comments, on twitter (@AloveAnglia1) or on facebook (/alove.anglia1)

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas.

Becky

'Spending' Christmas

How much will you spend this Christmas?

When we see these figures and look at spending habits at Christmas, it cam be easy to dismiss this as not relating to us. We can feel that because ‘we know the meaning of Christmas’, all the excessive spending and bad habits ‘will not be down to us’.

But is this really the case? I know there have been times when amongst all the present buying and card writing and tree decorating, I sometimes forget to check my bank account, the budget I set, or even why I’m doing things. We too can be swept up in the tide of Christmas-hysteria that sweeps the land from early November. We buy presents throughout the year to ‘avoid the Christmas rush’; we stockpile Christmas cards, wrapping paper and decorations in the January sales so we’re ready for next year, and then can’t remember where we put them. We see preparing for Christmas as a chore, and not a joy; a time for worry and overspending, not a time for preparation.

Why do we buy gifts for one another? We know the traditions – it’s about remembering God’s gift to us all in Jesus and the gifts the wise men brought – but is that where our hearts are when we buy these gifts? Do we buy them from obligation?

When I was in secondary school, I remember the panic that December brought on – which of my friends do I buy presents for? Who do I write cards to? What if someone gets me a present and I haven’t got them one? How much is this all going to cost me from my pocket money? Eventually, the presents we ended up exchanging were silly, cheap, and essentially meaningless. We wouldn’t even take them home to enjoy opening on Christmas day – the classroom bins would be filled with brightly coloured paper and empty chocolate boxes (the best present for those on a budget with lots to buy) throughout the final weeks. Sound familiar?

I witnessed the same thing happening in a youth club earlier this week. When I asked them why they had opened their presents early, they said “Well I knew what it was, and I wanted to have it now”. The young people did not bother wondering what the present was – they knew it was a cheap gift bought out of obligation. They did not feel any expectation, hope or wonder about what was in the wrapping paper, and did not feel that by waiting anything extra would be gained.

As I grew up, I started to be the strange person that received the presents in school and slipped them into my bag unopened. Even though I (very often) knew what was inside, I wanted to experience a time of waiting for that gift. My friends were always surprised, and often tried to encourage me to open the presents early. I refused, explaining I wanted to truly appreciate their gift by opening it when I had the time to do so properly – not in the five minutes between lessons when I would smile politely, say thanks, and rush on. I would then message anyone who had given me a gift on Christmas day, thanking them for their gift.

Originally, I feel this habit was bred out of a desire to have the most presents to open on Christmas morning, but as I continued to do this, I began to change my attitude to the gifts I had received. Although many of the gifts were bought from obligation

and didn’t cost much, I really began to appreciate that this person had stopped to think of me during the busyness of Christmas shopping, even if it wasn’t really from the best motive.

In the past few years, I have tried to make my Christmas behaviour more meaningful. I buy presents for those I care about, not who I feel obligated to buy for. I try and buy things they want, like or need, not buying into cheap ‘3 for 2’ deals (although if this happens to occur, it is a bonus). Whenever I buy a gift, I try to remember why I am doing it (whatever time of year it is).

The one thing I most want you to take away from this blog post is that however we prepare for Christmas, whatever we spend, that we should have a heart of worship, during a time of hope and preparation, and that all we do should be as part of a celebration of God’s love for us.

Advent

It’s December! That means decorations can go up, advent calendars can be opened, and the crazy shoppers can be released. Life gets busy with writing Christmas cards, buying presents, visiting friends and family, getting all the food in, attending carol services, etc. This has resulted in the office getting quiet as everyone is busy, and I’m sitting and preparing for the events in the year ahead.

While Christmas is exciting, we should be focussing on Advent itself. Just as I am using this month to prepare for the year ahead, Advent is about preparing ourselves for Jesus’ birth and for his return. Advent is a time of waiting and expecting, and preparing our hearts and minds for Christmas, so we are ready and can meditate on the real meaning.

Throughout this month and time of preparation, I hope to update this blog regularly with short thoughts that will help us all prepare for Christmas and remember the true meaning of welcoming Christ into the world.