...And We're back!

I seem to do this a lot. I post regularly for the duration of a series of action-packed posts, and then I forget that this little community exists. It's not that I have nothing to say. It's certainly not that I have no thoughts or haven't got anything of substance to share. I simply forget. For that I apologize and hope that we can keep strolling along.

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving (last night)! I hope you all had a wonderful night and are slowly recovering from your wine and turkey stupors.

 I wanted to comment on an odd phenomenon that I noticed as I sat on my couch this past Wednesday, allowing myself to forget about the responsibilities of life and class for awhile. I was sitting there, beginning the 24 hour Turkey-Fast, and I turned on the television. I was supremely enjoying this particular episode of The Big Bang Theory, when a series of commercials came on about Black Friday.

One in particular caught my eye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxCBmZFROBw

Now that we've both watched it, lets set aside the annoying in-your-face-ness of the whole add in order to penetrate to the deeper problems. First and foremost, apparently our material culture has just done away completely with the facade of giving and selflessness that the hliday season brings. What this commercial expresses to me is the idea that giving is simply an obligation that can be offset (thank goodness!)  by the opportunity to buy for oneself. Check out the line at the 13 second mark on the video. The song says, "Check out the price of this new flat-screen. I'll buy it for Phil, but it's also for me". Giving is being represented as a practice of self-serving. What this spot is telling us is that the holiday season is not simply a time to give. That's just something you HAVE to do. What you REALLY want is to buy for yourself. You just need the opportunity. Thank goodness for Black Friday!

The second problem with this spot is a little more difficult to spot, but troubling nonetheless. If you look at the time that the sale starts, you will see that the sale starts at 9pm Thursday, and Target is not the only one. Walmart started their sale at 8pm, and a bunch of stores, including Old Navy and Best Buy, started their sals at midnight. And what's the problem, you may ask. The sales start after dinner, so what's the harm of extending Black Friday into Thanksgiving night. Well, let's think for a second. If people really only get the best deals if they line up for hours, and if these lines really start forming 12 or more hours in advance, then the question must be asked: What about Thanksgiving?

For a moment, let's set aside the fact that celebration of the Christmas Season is still more than a month away. Let's even put aside the fact that Advent, the period of waiting for the Nativity at Christmas doesn't begin until December 2nd. Let's look past every other issue to the fact that our own level of cultural materialism is at such a height that Black Friday, the Olympics of Capitalism, has begun to encroach upon the one day a year that we set aside in order to give thanks for what we have. The opportunity that we all take to spend with our families and thank God for the blessings in our lives is being pushed aside so that we can all go out and BUY! The irony is daunting. If you need a second to take a breath, please, join me...

...Good, now that we're back, I feel the need to clarify. I am not condemning  those who buy for themselves, nor am I casting judgement on those who put on or attend sales on Thanksgiving night. I am simply pointing out a frightening cultural phenomenon that needs highlighting.

In fact, I have a solution to propose. As late as this post comes, I suggest saving the Black Friday shopping for after midnight. Don't leave your house until it's actually Friday morning! If you want to stay up all night, that's your business, but I urge you, forego the door-busters and spend time with your families. It doesn't matter whether you are a married man, a teenager, or simply and adult child. The fact is, we need our families, and opportunities to spend time together as a family unit are becoming more and more rare. Cherish the time.

I also suggest only buying a handful of things for yourself. I do not condemn you in any way for wanting to get things for yourself, the deals are crazy! But i beg you, take the opportunity to actually buy gifts for your loved ones. The deals and goods are being served to you on a silver platter. Use them to help you grow in generosity. Trust me. It's a good thing.

My prayer is that we can all begin to extricate ourselves from this culture of materialism. We need to understand that none of these things are evil on their face, but that they have the potential to overcome the positive times in our lives if we let them. Most of all, let's all remember that we are supposed to be self-giving in love, and that Christ is our model and our goal. may God bless us this holiday season

Joseph, model of manhood, pray for us!
God, Father in heaven, bless us!