John B. Marek is a writer, farmer, outdoorsman and recovering economic developer. You can find his books at johnbmarek.com.
The window on the mountain is presumably closed and locked. I am actually in The ‘Ville (Statesville) today, spreading a little last-minute Christmas cheer and making my final preparations for the holiday. I’ll be heading back up to the High Country at the end of the week before returning to spend Christmas Eve with my church family at New Beginnings. Our longstanding church tradition is to hold a Christmas Eve Love Feast for the whole community. Even for some who might not be regular attendees, our Moravian Love Feast on Christmas Eve has become essential to holiday festivities.
Another longstanding holiday tradition among many families is the beloved Christmas program, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Released in 1965, the animated TV special follows the story of Charlie Brown as he searches for the true meaning of Christmas amidst the overwhelming commercialism and materialism of the holiday season. For those of us of a certain age, it and the similarly themed “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” defined the Christmas season. But I’m not sure that my generation, raised on those values, chose to accept them.
Throughout the special, Charlie Brown is bombarded with messages of consumerism and the pressure to buy gifts and decorations. However, he soon realizes these things do not bring him the happiness and fulfillment he seeks. In one of the most memorable scenes, Charlie Brown laments, “I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel.” It’s not until Linus recites the story of the birth of Jesus that Charlie Brown begins to understand the true meaning of Christmas. In the end, he and his friends come together to decorate a simple, humble tree, reminding us all that the holiday is about much more than just material possessions.
It’s important to understand that when “A Charlie Brown Christmas” debuted, and for the first 20 years afterward, it was shown once yearly on network TV, usually in early December. Its primary purpose was to provide a platform for toy companies to advertise their latest offerings. I’m pretty sure that when the executives at Mattel, Kenner and Marx first saw it, their response was, “WHAT THE $%#@ IS THIS?”
They needn’t have worried. Greed and envy wouldn’t be defeated by a 30-minute feel-good message once a year. We kids still had to have that doll, that car, that game. My generation largely failed to internalize the message of anti-materialism that the show aimed to convey and actually ramped up the commercialism and needless pomp associated with the holidays. Despite the timeless message about the true meaning of Christmas, people seem more fixated than ever on the commercial aspects of the holiday season, many going deep into debt to achieve the spirit of the holidays.
According to a recent survey, the average American family accrues around $1,500 in debt during the holiday season. This debt often results from buying gifts, hosting parties and traveling to visit family and friends. For those who may already be experiencing economic stress, the holidays can become a financial disaster.
In years gone by, before everyone had a pocket full of credit cards, many families used layaway programs to help manage their holiday spending. Layaway allows consumers to pay for their purchases over a period of time, often with no interest or fees. While layaway is still an option at a few retailers, it has become less popular in recent years as more consumers turn to credit cards to finance their holiday spending. While the two concepts may seem similar, they are not.
Credit card debt often comes with much higher interest rates and fees. With a credit card, you can quickly accumulate debt by making purchases that exceed your available funds. You can accumulate significant interest charges if you don’t pay off the balance in full each month. Layaway, on the other hand, allows you to make payments over time before taking possession of the item, and if, for some reason, you are not able to pay off the total amount, you can generally get all or most (minus a small processing fee) of your money back. As someone who worked in retail for several years early in my career, I understand that layaway programs are challenging for stores to implement. Still, I do wish more retailers and consumers would consider this option.
Even worse than credit card debt, “no interest until …” financing may seem like a great deal at first glance, but it can actually be extremely dangerous. These financing offers often come with hidden fees, high interest rates after the promotional period ends, and strict payment requirements. Generally, if you miss even a single payment or cannot pay off the entire balance before the promotional period ends, you could owe significant interest and fees, in some extreme cases as much or more than the original purchase amount.
While “A Charlie Brown Christmas” remains a beloved classic, it is clear that subsequent generations have not fully embraced the show’s message. Although the show first aired nearly 60 years ago, its message is still as relevant as ever, perhaps even more so in today’s materialistic society. It is up to each individual to take to heart the show’s message and strive to live a life focused more on what truly matters rather than material possessions, or at the very least, to be realistic about what they can and cannot afford.
For more information about Moravian Love Feasts and our Christmas Eve schedule at New Beginnings, click here.