Before you know it, it's crept up on us again. Christmas is back - and with it comes the usual glee of xfactor singles, Macauly Culkin's single annual TV appearance, secret Santa - a traditional office party essential and all the while the anticipation and wonderment of why the excitement of Noel hasn't quite kicked in yet.
It's also a time that generosity is at an all time high. I cant think of many other times i would buy an Xbox 360 with the intention of giving it away.
Arguably moreso in 2011 than in other recent years, the world has seen events unfold to which our charity motor should also be in fifth gear. The economy has gone to s**ts (technically speaking, of course), war has ravaged the Middle East, floods in The Asian subcontinent have left thousands of children to sleep hungry and famine in East Africa has reached shocking new levels.
With shopping at a high, and Oxford Street becoming a Londoners nightmare, I've been thinking carefully about the construct of Christmas. Giving (and sometime moreso, recieving) Presents are great but who exactly who we are giving to in this 'season of giving'? Friends? Family? Loved ones? Sure, Why not. But who is the actual winner of Christmas, and is it who we are made to believe?
Heres some food for thought.
Whilst we wake up on the 26th of December, broke, hungover and surrounded by the latest technology and clothing which we think we really needed, there is a small slither of a segment who will wake up truly having being given to. These folk will wake up having a new few digits in their bank accounts and a substantial more to come a week later in the new year. The opposite holds true for the vast majority of us.
I am indeed talking about the top 1% at the top of the consumer food chain. Whilst we are giving, they are receiving. Each £1 we spend is filtered up the capitalist hierarchy till it reaches their pockets. In return, we, the 99% are given next years eBay collection to store in our closets for most of the next 12 months.
Meanwhile, whilst our money goes upwards, the bottom 1% continue to have nothing.
Imagine now, if each Christmas our money was spent downwards to those we recognise need a helping hand. Instead of ipods and handbags we bought blankets and food for the homeless. Instead of wrapping paper we invested in educational books for those kids ridden in poverty, or if we traded in one bottle of expensive champagne to instead invest towards clean water in an East African village.
What a difference that would make. Our money would do a lot more than what it does right now - Simply speaking, making the rich richer, and the poor (who are made to believe they need to buy, buy and buy on Christmas) a lot poorer.
So folks, whilst presents are great - and this christmas, you should of course buy for your loved ones and hope to receive too. But whilst you look left and right at who to buy for, send one thoughts upwards as to who you are really giving to and one thought downwards as to who you really needs to receive, and try to put those odd few pennies of your christmas budget aside for a good cause of your choice and really make Christmas the season of giving.
Merry Christmas and a very happy new year!
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