'Tis the Season for... Judgment?

So there I was... stuffed from a night of eating and enjoying the afterglow of my Thanksgiving Day turkey while I stood at the end of a 600 yard line of people at the Toys 'R Us. The evening was warm and still, the people around me chatting hyper-actively. It was my first foray into the craziness that is Black Friday shopping (in this case, Pre-Black Friday Shopping) and I had headed out alone. I got in line at 9:30pm in anticipation of the 10pm opening with the 4-5,000 other people who had the same idea.

In an effort to pass some time, I pulled out my not-so-smart phone and started checking status updates on facebook which had come in through out the course of the day and evening and that's when it hit me - by standing in this line, I became one of the many who are judged by those who chose not to contribute to the "capitalistic" "insanity".

As the evening progressed, the updates continued over the course of the two-hour wait. Someone posted that they "hoped that the tv (we) are waiting in line for blows up", another posted that "(we) are stupid and have nothing better to do"... the comments went on and on.

Why was I do this? There was a kitchenette on sale - Olivia is at a point, developmentally, where she can enjoy this type of item and its important to her imagination development. Also, when I was a toddler, I always wanted one but we were too poor to have one.

At $100 dollars, the kitchenette was too expensive, but with the sale that was on that evening, I could get the same set for about $50 or so - which was much more within my budget and made getting it for her possible. I considered waiting till morning, but what if they had run out? No biggie, personally - next year is another year. But Olivia is finally getting to that age where her eyes light up at things she likes, and buying gifts for her for Christmas is becoming fun for us as parents.

As I continued my wait in line, I developed short-term friendships with the extremely pleasant people around me. The family behind me (7 in all) were there to get gifts for their kids. Grandma, in her motorized wheelchair, chatted with her children and grandchildren about everything from A Christmas Story to discussions about what the "hot item" is going to be this year. Two very early-twenty somethings stood in front of my making fun of themselves and the lot of us giggled about their past Black Friday experiences.

As the evening progressed and the judgmental facebook updates continued, so began the "Put the Christ back in Christmas" postings... before you shut down this blog and never return, you should know that I DO believe in Christ and His sacrifice for me. My issue is actually much bigger than the "remember what Christmas is all about" postings and more to do with people's judgment on how others choose to celebrate the holiday.

What is wrong with my choosing to take my own time to stand in line on a beautiful November evening in Florida to chat with people I will never see again, experience something I have not yet experienced, make my own decision about how great/horrible it is, try to obtain a toy that I think my daughter will enjoy and benefit from ... all in the name of Christmas? Is it to say that the true followers of Christ do NOT exchange gifts on Christmas? Is there anything in the Bible or in history that indicates that the giving and receiving of gifts on December 25th hearkens back to traditions original to the holiday? Are those that are devout and faithful followers of Christ willing to cease this gift exchange to more fully celebrate the day of His birth (though to my understanding there is debate on the 25th having any true biblical significance). And if not, where is it written that though shalt not purchase such gifts in a hectic/cattle-like way? What does it matter to you if I purchase these things at a discount (i.e. financially responsible way) or if I pay nearly full-price for them. How does it affect your life for me to stand in line with people for the party of it? Hell! I may go back next year NOT to buy anything just to learn something from people around me.

And do you know what I learned this year? The economy sucks! Families are struggling through so much turmoil between lost jobs and pay cuts that they have to do anything and everything they can to provide for their children. If 50% off an Iron Man helmet is the best they are going to be able to do for their kids this year, I say stand in line baby - stand in line!

No, gift receiving should not be identify of Christmas, but I will proudly state that I am happy beyond happy to identify Christmas as a gift giving season. Christ is Love and my holidays have always been an opportunity to celebrate time with family and friends, to make great food for each other's enjoyment, to enjoy comfort food, to spend time together, to come together when the year has kept you apart, to slow down and enjoy the companionship of your family, and to give to each other a token of how much you appreciate their presence in life.

If Chris is Love then He wants me to get together with my family and to bask in our love for each other. He wants for us to laugh, drink, eat, and exchange gifts. He wants for us to help the poor and give to those who are less fortunate.

But most of all, I am quite certain that Christ never said "acknowledge and dote on me on December 25th each year". I never really viewed Christ as that self-congratulatory, self-interested, or self-centered.

And while he certainly never said "shower each other with gifts on a specific day of the year", he did ask us to love they neighbor and to love each other. Christmas is the reminder that we are all wrapped up in our own stuff - without it, I would barely remember to slow down and enjoy the company of those in my life. The bell ringers at Salvation Army tins, the Toys for Tots commercials, the local church food-raisers, the Christmas lights inside the mall --- all serve to remind us that we should be kind and look out for one another.

At the end of it all, most of those crazy nutjobs that are standing in line are just desperate to show their children or loved ones that they care. We don't know their story. We don't know their ability to provide for the other 365 days of the year. We don't know if this tv they are purchasing is the first thing that they are able to afford since they got married or since their child was born with a severe birth defect costing them their life savings. That woman at the front of the line who has been there since Tuesday could, for all you know, be rushing into the Toys 'R Us to pick up a Baby Alive for her Alzheimer patient grandmother who had one when she was a girl.

Or - they could JUST be getting some things for their kids for LESS than they would spend tomorrow.

Either way - I am pretty certain that we aren't meant to judge each other.

So I will take pictures as Olivia sets her eyes on that kitchenette I stood 4 hours in line to purchase. And, yes, it will be worth every second of it.