Christmas and Our Mindset

Did you watch the television news during the Thanksgiving weekend? Seems like it was all about [Christmas] shopping and how retail sales are so important to our economy.

But what is the bigger picture? Most of the things we are buying in big box stores weren't even made in the United States. What environmental impacts were involved in making these products? What are the labor practices of the manufacturers? Does the drive to the mall or the rush to the checkout lane give you a warm-and-fuzzy Norman Rockwell Christmas feel?

It appears to me that the mainstream media got away with supporting a business-as-usual mindset by addressing the holiday season from a consumerist point of view. Where is the outrage?

The Reverend Billy Talen has devoted his career to fighting the downside of the corporate-commercial-Christmas mindset. He is the founder of "The Church of Life After Shopping."


If you're too busy to visit Rev. Billy's site just remember this: You are not just a consumer, you are a complete person. You don't have to give your loved ones (or anybody else) retail items for the holiday. Instead, something you've made yourself, or just the gift of your time will often be appreciated more anyway.

Season's Greetings from the MPTC Libraries!