Is Christmas too commercialized?

As with anything of magnitude, our country as a whole tends to "over do" it. Ford comes out with a new car; Chevy comes out with one better. Nike invents a new shoe for athletes, Adidas has to improve the design. We have become a world of one-upmanship. Nothing is good enough for us. We used to pick up the phone to make calls to loved ones or drop them a card in the mail. They now have phones that can make calls, send text, send photos, access the Internet, give you directions, update you as news happens and play as a radio. We are in the age of progress and the higher tech we get the more competitive suppliers and designers get. But there is a time to get back to the basics. I was talking with someone about how commercialized Christmas is. It donned on me that I heard that from my grandmother's generation, my mom's generation, now my generation is starting to feel the same way. But do we need to buy into the commercialism? No. Just because you love the crowds, love the thrill of being out in the thick of things, does not necessarily mean you have bought into the hype and hubbub that Christmas has turned into. I love the thrill of finding the best bargain and knowing that someone is going to be thrilled to get that one thing they really wanted. I love the rush of having to hurry from here to there to attend Christmas dinners and Christmas parties. I love watching the cartoons, the movies and the Christmas specials on TV. I love the excitement of putting my decorations out and watching my home evolve into a winter wonderland. But does this mean I've went over to the "dark" side and become commercialized. No. It simply means that I enjoy every facet of Christmas. I still feel the joy and excitement of that first Christmas when we sing those old carols like Silent Night or Away in the Manger. I still like to sit and think about how Mary and Joseph felt when they held that little babe for the first time. I like to close my eyes and feel the excitement of the angels saying "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." How powerful are those words "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." No matter how commercialized the world gets or how much fun and joy I have at Christmas, I never ever lose sight of the true meaning and the one and only joy that matters, the birth of our Lord. One of my favorite Christmas songs by Alabama says: Out here is the country there's magic in the air. It's the middle of December there's excitement eveywhere Everyone's invited, the celebration's planned The gift is just what's in your heart and not what's in your hand Who's the one we need to thanks Who's the party for Who's the one responsible for all this peace and joy Who deserves the credit for the blessings we enjoy Preacher said last Sunday it was Joesph and Mary's boy That sums it up pretty good. It's okay to get into the spirit of things as long as we don't forget the true reason we are having so much fun this time of year.