Christmas shouldn't be a killer

Some people prepare for Christmas months in advance. I tip my hat to these uber-organised souls, but I’m not one of them. And I know I’m not alone when I say that every year my good intentions to buy gifts early, stockpile holiday food, send Christmas cards, spring-clean the house … none of this comes to fruition.

Inevitably, I find myself sprinting breathlessly to the Christmas finish line, as others who have paced themselves more sensibly sip sparkling grape juice and enjoy Kiwi onion dip and chips in the sun, as meat for their Christmas Day BBQs marinades in the fridge.

I live in envious awe of those who get Christmas sorted weeks ahead, who don’t need to do last minute gift-buying or fight their way amongst overladen shopping trollies in the face of the reality that supermarkets will close and we will have to survive Christmas with only what’s left in our pantries and freezers. Quelle horreur!

I agree with those pointing out that these are decidedly first-world problems—and usually that would be enough to arrest my whinging, as I remember to count my blessings and ignore the Christmas chorus of: Buy our stuff, buy our stuff, empty out your purse / Christmas is a spending time that steadily grows worse … (this fits to ‘Jingle Bells’, if you’re inclined to sing along).

But then I catch a glimpse of The Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal advertising and its stark message: Christmas shouldn’t be a killer. And I’m reminded that for too many New Zealanders, Christmas is not a time of full-trolley plenty, but of empty-cupboard need. And that no amount of tightening the purse strings during the year or lessening already meagrely low expectations of holiday celebrations can remove the very real stress of this season. You can’t get blood from a turnip, as the saying goes.

If we ponder this proposition—that Christmas shouldn’t be a killer—surely most of us would agree that there are too many New Zealanders living on the breadline, struggling to put a roof over their heads, food in their mouths and clothing on their kids, let alone presents under the tree or a pavlova on the table for Christmas Day lunch.

The Salvation Army expects to help 17,000 families and individuals this Christmas. I’m sure all of these people approach Christmas with the same desire for hope and joy that I do. They just need a little help to bring that hope to life.

So, if you are in that joyous position of having ticked off most of your Christmas to-do list, or simply if you’re moved by Christmas compassion and the desire to take the pressure down for others, head to www.salvationarmy.org.nz/ ChristmasAppeal or phone 0800 53 00 00. Make a donation to The Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal … and bring hope to life!

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by Christina Tyson (c) 'War Cry' magazine, 10 December 2016, pp3
You can read 'War Cry' at your nearest Salvation Army church or centre, or subscribe through Salvationist Resources.