Sales increase predicted, but who cares?

If Christmas is a religious holiday for you, it simply doesn’t matter how many billions of dollars of stuff people buy. Here’s one forecast that predicts a 2 percent increase. If you concentrate on a joyous and meaningful holiday, however, you can have an increase in happiness a lot larger than 2 percent! Read the article that started the Excessmas movement here.

First sighting of a Christmas catalog?

Don’t do this if it will make you sad, but: Look out for the first mention of “Christmas” on a catalog you receive in the mail. Could be September or even August, depending on where you are. It will be way, way earlier than anybody needs if they’re celebrating Christmas as a religious holiday. No, that first “Christmas” catalog sighting will be about “Excessmas,” the materialistic side of the holiday.

How to keep Christmas simple

Here’s a nice post on how to keep Christmas simple. From “only use cash” to “look for the meaning,” there are some good and practical tips. To those I would only add this: Call the secular celebration “Excessmas,” recognizing that there is no moral or religious obligation to spend a lot on Excessmas, and turn your thoughts toward the true meaning of the holiday.

It will not be a “gloomy Christmas”

The prophets of doom are in full cry telling us it will be a “gloomy Christmas.”

But wait. Regardless of what the media will tell you, it can be joyful. What they define as “Christmas” is the frenzied fourth-quarter retail sales extravaganza — and it may not be so hot this year. But for those who seek the true meaning of Christmas in the birth of Jesus Christ, it will be a great holiday.

Do this exercise. Think about the most joyful Christmas you can remember. Was it joyful because you received a lot of stuff? I thought not. So forget about the stuff and be joyful!

My national and international effort to take the commercialism out of the celebration of Nativity began with this article, which appeared in an edited version in the Wall Street Journal. Have a look and see what you think!

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News coverage of holiday shopping

The mainstream media just don’t get it. The joy of Christmas isn’t about buying and consuming things. Even if you grant the premise that retail sales should be the object, they still don’t get it. They didn’t get it last year. They don’t get it this year. Maybe they will get it next year? See http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2007/12/26/tis-season-post-christmas-bias-new-york-times

It will not be a “gloomy Christmas”

The prophets of doom are in full cry telling us it will be a “gloomy Christmas.”

But wait. Regardless of what the media will tell you, it can be joyful. What they define as “Christmas” is the frenzied fourth-quarter retail sales extravaganza — and it may not be so hot this year. But for those who seek the true meaning of Christmas in the birth of Jesus Christ, it will be a great holiday.

Do this exercise. Think about the most joyful Christmas you can remember. Was it joyful because you received a lot of stuff? I thought not. So forget about the stuff and be joyful!

My national and international effort to take the commercialism out of the celebration of Nativity began with this article, which appeared in an edited version in the Wall Street Journal. Have a look and see what you think!