“We don’t have to check our pain at the door of Christmas.
We can bring it to the One who knows that the manger leads to the cross.'”~ Holley Gerth
A few nights ago, I got to stand next to the gigantic Christmas tree lit up in the center of downtown San Francisco, in famous Union Square. The grandparents had flown in from the Northwest for a visit, so Hubby and I took advantage of the opportunity and got a “weekend pass”.
It was the first time in three years I was going to deviate from the nightly bedtime chaos routine, so I was beyond ecstatic to roam the streets in the evening like a wanderlust tourist.
Strolling under the holiday lights, I noticed the marketing campaigns blown up in gargantuan size across billboards and banners. With each wreath or nostalgic winter scene displayed, messages were being broadcast.
See if you recognize these marketing slogans —
“12 Days of Sharing”
“Believe”
“Give Joyfully”
You’d think they were lifted out of sermons from church. No, these are the cheerful holiday voices greeting us from Starbuck’s, Macy’s, and Pottery Barn. They figure if we can feel better about ourselves — that we are wonderful people giving to others — we’d enjoy shopping more and get into an optimistic, feel good version of ourselves.
The marketing of the holidays has been kicked up a notch.
Traditional marketing of products has been replaced by the marketing of an experience.
It’s not about a better shopping experience. Advertisers are offering us s a shinier image of ourselves — a better experience of us in the holiday season.
Where’s The Babe?
I’ve been praying this month for Unwrapping Jesus moments, asking to be placed inside the real Christmas Story. Surrounded by breathtaking decorations and squealing teenagers speeding around the open-air skating rink, I felt a tinge of melancholy.
There was all this celebration, but not a word or image of The Babe, angels with trumpets or the used-to-be catch phrase, Peace on Earth.
What a great big party everyone is having, decked out and buying gifts. But, who is the party for? It feels like a messed up bizzaro world, where everyone’s been invited to a big birthday bash — except the person of the hour.
Jesus has been disinvited by the world to His own celebration.
Christmas Version of Me?
What’s missing from all the holiday cheer?
The un-marketing of joy.
If something needs to be marketed, it’s not a gift. It’s a product.
Jesus is not a product. Jesus was sent as a Gift.
As I made my way through the city with multi-million dollar advertisements visually executed in full-throttle, I wondered —
Am I bringing a marketed version of myself into Christmas?
There is pressure, especially among believers, to bring a holiday version of ourselves, in order to get into the spirit of Christmas.
We forget Someone has joined us in our humanity. At the great cost of the cross, Jesus came to bring us the joy of knowing He is near us, when others are far.
God orchestrated that very first Christmas by inviting everyday people to come, as they are. From shepherds to wise men of the day (maybe philosophers or astronomers?), they came as they were. Not the religious scribes who knew it all or the Pharisees who celebrated all the traditions right.
Jesus invites us to draw near to Him the same way today. God invites us to come and receive Him, as we are.
Will I unmask myself and simply come without marketing myself for the season?
If we want to celebrate Jesus as God’s life changing gift, we will bring our imperfect hopes and losses to Him.
God isn’t trying to market Jesus to us. He came to restore us to our rightful place — in the heart of His Son.
God is saying it without banners or placards —
Peace on Earth. Goodwill to men.
Immanuel. I am here.
Come see me. As you are.
Others loudly market cheer, while the simplicity of Jesus is God’s Gift to us.
What is holding your heart back in this season?
It might be the very thing that can draw you closer to Jesus, as we let Him into that space.
Christmas Change
If Christmas time is hard this year, take a moment to read The True Cost and Joy Of Christmas, a inspiring post written by my friend, Holley Gerth. The post is published over at Christmas Change, a site sharing ways to change Christmas as a return to God’s heart in this season.
As you browse many wonderful Christmas posts in the coming weeks, remember to resist the sway to feel pressured by how Christmas is happening for others. Your journey with Christ is just as valuable — no matter how different it looks — because it is pointing straight to Bethlehem in you.
In fact, just read any one of the 28 Unwrapping Jesus posts written by the community (scroll down to the end of Thursday’s post here). You’ll find encouragement by being part of a larger spiritual community, as we make our way in the Christmas story, retold in me and you.
Today's post is part of a month long series, Unwrapping Jesus.
Join in the challenge to celebrate simplicity, in hopes of unwrapping the
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15 Comments
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Love your thoughts on this. I think this is what I have been doing this Christmas season. Unmarketing myself. Tired of the mask I guess. Thank you for sharing.
.-= Amy Nabors´s last blog ..Project Life- November =-.
Kids enjoy the holidays the most for this reason also, don’t you think?
I wrote a similar post on Sunday about Black Friday. The world is calling our name, hounding us for our wallets–spend, spend, spend. Our economy is built on spend, spend, spend. Once upon a time, we had an economy built on save, save, save. I reccomend reading Laura Ingalls Wilder books. Yes…they are children’s books, but the lessons in them are simple. There’s a reason we yearn for an old fashioned Christmas. Deep down inside of all of us, even the most hardened of them all, is a yearning for Christ.
.-= Nikole Hahn´s last blog ..Preparing My Heart =-.
I loved the TV show! I could relate to half-pint! 😉
“Jesus is not a product. Jesus was sent as a Gift.”
Amen! We need to be reminded of this often. Thanks Bonnie!
.-= Kevin Martineau´s last blog ..What are you going to focus on this Christmas =-.
Thanks, Kevin!
I have been feeling guilty because we don’t have as much this year, which makes it hard to give to people’s expectations. I want to give people meaningful presents that represent my love for them, but I feel like what I have to offer is so small compared to what I want to give. Thank you for this reminder that what we really are celebrating this season is Him. My heart has been drawn to making it more about Him, now I just need to figure out how that translates to my interactions with others. Always enjoy your words, Bonnie. 🙂
.-= Melissa Brotherton´s last blog ..cheap- but thoughtful =-.
I know. There are also other people that are looking at Christmas with expectations on us. Gift giving is not as simple as the billboard paints it because those on the receiving end don’t always play the marketing version’s part.
Amen.
.-= Jeri @godsdreamsforme´s last blog ..Unwrapping our Uniqueness =-.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for sharing His heart.
it sent me on a journey on my blog…i started here, but thought it better to not stand on my soap box in the view of such gifted writers, and readers that may have never thought to do anything but a commercialized Christmas…no need to shell shock good people just as they start this journey…so i moved it to the blog…
thanks again Bonnie – may your Christmas season be FILLED with precious moments of joy- filled memories, intentional words written and spoken to those that you love, and the blessing of those around you from your Jesus filled heart! May this Christmas be the start of creating new celebration traditions!
Happy Birthday Jesus!!
.-= marina bromley´s last blog ..Cross Cultural Workers and holiday blues =-.
It’s amazing how blessed I’ve been reading all the blog posts. This is real stuff, not just blogging mania to market Christmas as a topic. Thanks, Marina!
I really appreciate the message in your life-giving words Bonnie. Especially, for our family right now. This is our year of slow-flow. And we’ve really been doing a great job of it with the holidays. Still, this message really takes it to an intimate slow-flow. Thank you so much!
.-= Jeri @godsdreamsforme´s last blog ..Unwrapping our Uniqueness =-.
It’s so true—we’re in party mode and we’ve forgotten the guest of honor. I’ll be looking for ways to discover Jesus in the midst of his celebration. Thanks for the reminder.
.-= Sheryl´s last blog ..The Peanutbutter Effect =-.
Kids enjoy the holidays the most for this reason also, don’t you think?