If you’re not familiar with Festivus, it boils down to this: Christmas in America has become too commercial, too fake, too loud, etc. Festivus is a December 23rd holiday for those who don’t want to deal with all the glitz and pizazz of Christmas lights, Christmas trees, Christmas parties, etc.
Thus the slogan: “A Festivus for the Rest-of-Us!”
To “celebrate” the holiday, one must replace their Christmas tree with a simple aluminum pole (because tinsel is found to be distracting). There are no carols or holiday parties; instead, partakers all sit around a modest dinner and air their grievances with one another over the past year. Finally come the feats of strength, where those grieved celebrators work out their angst in the most Greco-Roman way imaginable. There’s also an ordinary clock that is placed inside a bag and nailed to the wall. When children ask about such an oddity, the parent must only say “that’s not for you to know.” So that’s it. That’s Festivus.
It is neither joyful nor is it triumphant.
But it CAN BE Biblical. There’s something to be said about the holiday’s core idea of rejecting the revolting consumerism of the modern holiday season. From the insanity of Black Friday, to the parade of cars honking at each other in the Wal-Mark parking lot all throughout December, to the endless string of diamond neckless commercials, diamond ring commercials, diamond earring commercials, and on it goes.
Every kiss begins with—
STOP!
Do we really need lavish gifts to express our love for each other? No, of course not. We only need to express our love for each other! We only need word and deed. There’s nothing wrong with buying gifts, of course; it just doesn’t need to be the extent of (or a substitute for) one’s affection.
My Lord bought our redemption with the offering of His blood. He paid the high price and offers us salvation as a free gift. No need to stand in line. No need to push or shove. No need to add to it with the distracting tinsel of worldly ideas. All you need is Jesus’ blood.
Thank Christ that His blood is readily available to you, without any feats of strength required to claim it!
Happy Festivus.
~ Matthew