Dr. Jessica A. Johnson

With Christmas less than two weeks away, many Americans are unfortunately feeling major stress about the holidays, and some may even be in an Ebenezer Scrooge "Bah! Humbug!" mood as inflation is putting a tight clasp on many people's budgets. I suppose in our time Charles Dickens' Scrooge from "A Christmas Carol" would be even more cantankerous and scoff at Christmas trees costing over $100 at some Midwestern farms and on Amazon. Thinking of how Dickens would pen this, Scrooge would probably utter a grand, ill-tempered statement of this fashion while perusing the internet: "How the lords of avarice rule to deplete our pockets on December 25! I will not be partaking of their covetous mischief!" Indeed, The Ghost of Christmas Present would definitely have its work cut out in attempting to get Scrooge to embrace the spirit of the season in our digital age.

For many folks this year, the spirit of the season is dampened due to being financially strapped and not being able to afford the gifts they really wanted for family and close friends. Food is also a huge concern as holiday staples such as turkey, baking ingredients and dairy items have increased between 15% and 25%, according to Bankrate.com. Recent surveys reveal that the effects of inflation are causing some to seriously cut back on Christmas and skip gift giving. A Harris Poll released this week on Bloomberg's news site reported that more than one-third of the Americans they questioned will not be buying presents, and roughly 60% said they would be purchasing fewer gifts. A MedStar Health survey of 1,143 adults found that over 62% felt "more financially squeezed" and 51% were "stressed out about giving." Respondents in this survey were also worried about being able to host relatives.

With this kind of bleak news, it's easy to see why some would have a Scrooge-like temperament heading into Christmas. Being short on cash does make getting through the holiday season more challenging, but if you can't host the festive gathering you would like or can only buy a few things on your Christmas list, you are still blessed. If you can gather in the presence of family and still share a meal that may have one less dessert or main dish, that is more precious than anything money can buy. Being able to laugh and fellowship with dear friends is much more valuable than having the latest technological gadget or trendy fashion gear.

And thinking of fellowship, my friends at church found it hilarious that I am so bad at wrapping gifts while we were getting toys ready for our annual Christmas giveaway for children after Bible study this week. I used every excuse in the book to get out of the assembly line we had going. I pointed out that I was fumbling at adequately measuring the length and width of the boxes with headphones that I was assigned, and I even waved a bit of wrapping paper that I had awkwardly cut on a roll as a flag of surrender. My grad school roommate chuckled, saying, "Kids don't analyze how presents are wrapped! They're just seeing toys!" Spending time like this with church sisters and brothers and preparing to bless families in need is a big part of what the true joy of Christmas is about. Just as Scrooge had a change of heart when shown the misery and selfishness of his ways, God also looks at our hearts when we give. Many of us can give our time for a community event like a toy giveaway. Often, we may not be able to purchase the most expensive gifts for occasions like these, but if we have the eagerness and "a willing mind" to give, as 2 Corinthians 8:12 teaches, it is "accepted according to (what we have) and not according to (what we do not have)."

So, if you are not able to spend money the way you had planned this Christmas, don't be discouraged. You may not be able to buy everything you want this year, but be thankful that you have everything you need.

Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JjSmojc.

Photo by Chad Madden on Unsplash