Somewhere along the way, the meaning of Christmas was lost. What began as a celebration of the birth of our Savior drifted towards a celebration of consumerism. Americans are forecasted to spend a record-breaking nearly one trillion dollars on holiday expenses this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Consumerism now defines Christmas in the minds of most Americans. Even well-meaning Christians can get caught up in the secular holiday season and lose sight of the bigger picture.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with blessing your family with meaningful gifts during Christmas. In fact, that can be a beautiful display of God’s love and a way to strengthen and develop family bonds. But in all the gift-giving and receiving, we should be careful not to let that overshadow the beauty and significance of Christ’s birth and the beginning of his ministry on earth.
One piece of good news amid the consumerism of the season is that Bible sales are up 22% compared to the same time last year. Simultaneously, sales of print books increased by less than 1%, illustrating just how significant the rise in Bible sales truly is. Numerous reports show that first-time Bible buyers are searching for hope, comfort, and the truth amid cultural confusion.
“People are experiencing anxiety themselves, or they’re worried for their children and grandchildren,” Jeff Crosby, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, shared. “It’s related to artificial intelligence, election cycles…and all of that feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be OK.”
As Americans spend billions of dollars this Christmas, it’s encouraging to see people buying things they really do need. We hope everyone who purchased a Bible this year finds what they’re searching for: a relationship with Christ, who offers clarity in times of confusion, comfort in times of pain, and so much more.
We hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family focused on the birth of Christ and everything He represents. Merry Christmas from SD Family Voice!
