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What Is the Spirit of This Season?

     As I write, Thanksgiving Day is close upon us, so by the time that you read this the Christmas season will be in full tilt. The season comes fast upon us, and what are we to make of it? Is it the season of a small rural community struggling to bring in a harvest lest they perish during the winter, filled with gratitude for the earth’s bounty? Is it the season of those who have lived here for centuries acknowledging the common humanity and apparent good will of new neighbors, even though their culture, customs, language, and skin color are different? Is it the season of hope symbolized by a flame flickering in a lamp long after it should have gone out for lack of fuel? Is it the season of a child born in a humble manger, of shepherds mingling with kings from afar? Is this the season of love that each newborn brings to those who hold the child close?

     Or is this another season altogether? Isn’t this the season in which we seek to buy the affection of those we love with the biggest and most expensive gift? Isn’t this the season in which competition for the latest, greatest technological gadget turns to violence in shopping malls as we fight over who gets the last X-Box in the store? Isn’t this the season in which we embrace conspicuous consumption as a personal devotional practice? Isn’t this the season when we embrace “Shop till you drop” as the mantra that guides our daily living? Isn’t this that season as well?

     At the risk of over-simplifying, we might call the set of aspirations described in the first paragraph the “connective spirit of the season,” and those in the second paragraph the “commercial spirit of the season.” You’ve probably figured out that I prefer to regard the season as embodying the connective spirit, even though I do like to give and receive gifts (in moderation). After all, at its best, the giving and receiving of gifts can be an expression of mutual love and caring, so long as we focus on the generosity of the giver and the act of giving rather than on the material aspects of the gift as an object. Giving and receiving gifts can indeed connect us to one another. The best gifts are those that do connect us, and we often find that they are treasured for years, far beyond their commercial value.

     So as you do your holiday shopping, I encourage you to shop mindfully, and to seek out gifts that strengthen your most valued connections of love and caring. Be flexible in your concept of shopping, for not every connective gift can be bought in a store or on-line. The best gift might be as straightforward as a note of appreciation to a friend or relative, a work by a favorite artist, a project or game jointly undertaken with an eager child, or a visit to a neighbor. I invite you to take the challenge of this kind of shopping!

     I also encourage you to consider doing some of your shopping at the Alternative Gifts Fair, to be held at the Carbondale Civic Center on Sunday afternoon, December 2nd (watch for more details). If you know someone who has more than enough “stuff,” and who has a favorite cause or charity in this area, the Alternative Gifts Fair gives you a convenient opportunity to honor that person and their favorite cause as a Christmas gift. It’s a great way to honor the connective spirit of the season, and to help one (or more) good cause!