I keep hearing it over and over. It’s going to be a bad Christmas. Times are rough. Christmas will lack its usual joy. It has been one of the worst years in United States economic history, they say. And we will all pay the price for it this Christmas. So says my television. Let me be clear. I am sympathetic to those who have lost their jobs. I feel for those who are the victims of cutbacks. And I can only imagine the pain a parent would feel if he had to look a child in the eye and explain why Santa’s helpers weren’t able to make as many toys this year. Heartbreaking. But I won’t buy into this gloom and doom Christmas routine we’re being sold. It seems that the success or failure of the holiday season rests on the shoulders of us, the consumer public. When we spend and spend and spend some more, TV economists are happy. We’ll have a good Christmas and the world will be saved. But if we cut back a little, choosing to become more introspective and less materialistic, we have failed our nation. By spending less, we are being called holiday grinches. Meanwhile, irresponsible execs at large corporations beg for taxpayer money and tell us the only way they can survive is if Uncle Sam gives them money now and we order more stuff from their company warehouses. I don’t get it. Americans lined up at 5 a.m. and spent 2% more this year on Black Friday- the day after Thanksgiving- than we did last year. But one expert claimed we failed miserably because we needed to spend 4.5% more to save Christmas. One poor Wal-Mart worker was even trampled to death in New York but still we were told we weren’t aggressive enough in our spending. They even commercialized and promoted Cyber Monday- the fourth day after Thanksgiving- when online sales tend to peak. But they say we didn’t click the “Check Out to Complete Purchase” button enough that day either. Most every Christmas television special ever produced reminds us that Christmas is not about the presents and gifts. Spend less but give more. Remind yourself what you are truly thankful for. But then the voices on the news tell us we have failed to save the economy because we aren’t spending enough. Is anyone other than me agitated by the paradox here? I’m not upset at the merchants. I love the stores, the mall, and the displays. I could listen to Christmas music all year long. But I’m put out with however it is that tries to make us feel guilty when we don’t go in debt to check off all the names on our Christmas list. So what happens in that magical year in the future when we do spend enough? “You did it!” the TV economists will cry. “You saved Christmas!” And the jingle in the pocket will have then replaced the babe in the manger. We will have spent big but missed the message yet again. The national treasury will be saved but the most valuable Christmas treasure will be lost. And though the manger song says “No crying He makes,” the babe’s eye might fill with a tear. By God’s grace I pray we will never let that happen.