Scrooge is the enemy of the Christmas spirit. And he has taken over the holiday season. It’s time for us to fight back.
Ebenezer Scrooge, of course, is the villain of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic A Christmas Carol. In his greedy, miserly obsession with pinching every penny and maximizing the profit of his business, he ruined the lives of his tenants and clients, made life miserable for his clerk Bob Cratchit, and had no interest in relationships with his family or community. For Scrooge, Christmas was nothing but a nuisance that interfered with business and an excuse to fritter away money on charities and parties.
Today, the spirit of Scrooge looks a bit different. Instead of scowling “Bah, humbug!” in drab black clothing, it entices us with jingle bells and holly. But it is still focused on greed and on fattening the bottom line. The spirit of Scrooge has turned Christmas into a business venture. It perverts our holiday celebration by luring us away not only from its religious meaning but also from its secular sentiment. Scrooge has always been about making money, regardless of the human cost. And his spirit thrives today as we turn Christmas into an orgy of spending.
The original Scrooge was annoyed that Christmas interfered with his money-making. Today’s Scrooge is wiser; he sees Christmas as a way to make more money. He tells us that the holiday is about bringing joy to our loved ones through merchandise wrapped in pretty paper on Christmas day. The spirit of Scrooge has convinced us that the “proper” celebration of Christmas requires us to buy extravagant gifts for everyone we know, to outdo ourselves in decorating and baking. Make no mistake: behind the heart-warming Christmas commercials on television and the jolly music in the stores, there is a cynical spirit bent on putting as much money into its pockets as it can.
Perhaps my message bothers you. You may think that I’m being unpatriotic: aren’t we told that Christmas is good for the economy because so many companies depend on this end-of-the-year shot in the arm? You can use the same money that you would usually spend on gifts that end up in the back of someone’s closet for different purposes. If your money is spent by a food cupboard, a volunteer fire department, a homeless shelter, or a local library, it will stimulate the economy just as much as if it is used to buy tinsel and the latest hot toys or trendy fashion items.
Or, you may think that I’m criticizing the very spirit of the holiday. If you do, then Scrooge has won. If it “doesn’t seem like Christmas” without forking over money, you have bought the lie that Christmas can be bought in the mall, or that its joy comes with a budget. The spirit of Christmas comes not with a checkbook or a credit card, but with a heart that is open to our Lord and to the people around us.
This December, which spirit will you follow: Scrooge, or Christmas?
Peter
